Editing History of Belgium (section)

=== Belgian military intervention since 1990 ===
[[File:UNAMIR Blue Berets memorial Kigali (2).jpg|thumb|right|Site of the massacre of Belgian UN personnel in [[Kigali]], [[Rwanda]].]]
The [[United Nations]] mission in Rwanda during the [[Rwandan Civil War]], known as [[UNAMIR]], involved a significant Belgian contingent under the command of [[Roméo Dallaire]]. Belgium, as the former colonial power in the country, sent the largest force of around 400 soldiers from the [[2nd Commando Battalion (Belgium)|2nd Commando Battalion]].

After the [[Assassination of Juvénal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira|downing of the Rwandan and Burundian presidential plane]] 10 Belgian peacekeepers were murdered by the Hutu-dominated government army. In response, Belgium withdrew all of its peacekeepers, blaming UNAMIR for failing to rescue their men.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timeline of Events during the Rwandan Genocide |url=http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/justiceontrial/rwanda_chronology.html |access-date=3 November 2012 |publisher=American Radio Works}}</ref> The Belgians had represented the largest and most capable element in the UNAMIR mission, leaving it incapacitated and unable to cope with the events of the [[Rwandan genocide]].

Belgian paratroopers were deployed to [[Somalia]] during [[Operation Restore Hope]] as part of [[UNOSOM II|UNOSOM]] tasked with securing aid deliveries and peacekeeping. Several Belgian soldiers were killed during the deployment.

During the [[Kosovo crisis]] of 1999, 600 Belgian [[paratroopers]] participated in Operation Allied Harbour, a [[NATO]] operation to protect and provide assistance to the huge number of ethnic Albanian [[refugees]] in [[Albania]] and [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]. That same year, 1,100 Belgian soldiers participated in the [[Kosovo Force]] (KFOR), a NATO-led [[peacekeeping]] force.

Belgian soldiers have served in [[Lebanon]], under the [[United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon]] (UNIFIL). Approximately 394 Belgians have served in Lebanon, in demining and medical operations, and a [[Belgian frigate Leopold I (F930)|frigate]] is also present.<ref>{{Cite news |title=U.N. force looks more European, less multinational |url=http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1775 |access-date=3 November 2012 |work=Asian Tribune |archive-date=3 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603152645/http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node%2F1775 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Belgium to send 400 troops to Lebanon |url=http://www.expatica.com/be/news/local_news/belgium-to-send-400-troops-to-lebanon-32572.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130123045338/http://www.expatica.com/be/news/local_news/belgium-to-send-400-troops-to-lebanon-32572.html |archive-date=23 January 2013 |access-date=3 November 2012 |publisher=Expatica Communications}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Belgium to assume command of UNIFIL's maritime task force |url=http://www.belgium.be/en/news/2009/news_unifil.jsp |access-date=3 November 2012 |publisher=belgium.be}}</ref>

[[File:Belgian military F-16 Fighting Falcon conducts a combat patrol over Afghanistan.JPG|thumb|right|[[Belgian Air Component|Belgian]] [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16]] conducts a combat patrol over Afghanistan, 2008]]
In the 2011, the [[Belgian Air Force]] deployed six fighter jets in support of the [[2011 military intervention in Libya|NATO intervention]] in the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|Libyan Civil War]] in accordance with [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973]]. Belgian aircraft were involved in airstrikes on [[Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya|pro-Ghadaffi forces]].

Belgium was part of the [[ISAF]] mission in Afghanistan, joint with soldiers from Luxembourg. The main objective was providing security at [[Kabul International Airport]], while detachments assisted in the northern PRTs of [[Kunduz]] and [[Mazar-i-Sharif]]. In September 2008, four [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon|F‑16 jets]] with about 140 support personnel were deployed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Belgische F-16's in Afghanistan zijn Operationeel |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?ArticleID=DMF09092008_067 |access-date=3 November 2012 |publisher=Het Nieuwsblad}}</ref>