BEIRUT, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Claudio Graziano said Monday that UNIFIL has achieved notable progress in implementing essential aspects of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Lebanon's state news agency reported.

    Graziano said during an awarding ceremony for UNIFIL's Turkish contingent that UNIFIL will preserve its mission, working side by side with the Lebanese Army and benefiting from the firm support of the Lebanese government and people, in order to maintain stability in its area of operations.

    The UNIFIL commander also confirmed his forces' ability to achieve permanent peace in South Lebanon. However, he said that UNIFIL still has a lot to do before it can say that it has succeeded.

    The UN Resolution 1701 ended the 34-day war between Israel and Lebanese Shiite armed group Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, which killed more than 1,200 Lebanese civilians and 160 Israelis. The resolution mandated the UNIFIL to carry out peacekeeping missions in South Lebanon.

    Tensions along the border area of the two countries often rose as explosions broke out, among which the latest is that Israel detonated two spy devices on Saturday and Sunday. The UNIFIL said that the devices were buried during the 2006 war and used to monitor Hezbollah's communication system.

    The UNIFIL and Lebanese Army are now searching for other devices.