UN seeks format for presence in Lebanon after UNIFIL mandate — Anadolu Agency
The UN is considering options for maintaining its presence in Lebanon after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends at the end of 2026. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said this following a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace east of Beirut, Anadolu Agency reports.
Consultations on the mission’s future
According to Lacroix, UN Secretary-General António Guterres presented the Security Council with options for the organization’s future presence in Lebanon, developed after consultations with the Lebanese authorities. He noted that Beirut’s position, which calls for a temporary extension of UNIFIL’s mandate, should be taken into account during discussions in the Security Council.
The UN representative described the situation in southern Lebanon as difficult due to ongoing military activity, which, he said, has significantly affected the civilian population. He said the UN’s goal is to support efforts to stabilize the situation and restore Lebanon’s full sovereignty.
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Lebanese president’s position
President Joseph Aoun confirmed that Lebanon supports retaining UNIFIL. He said the withdrawal of peacekeepers could create a security vacuum in the country’s south amid, as he noted, ongoing Israeli attacks and Israel’s presence in villages and towns in the region.
Aoun stressed that an international presence is especially important because most of the territories he described as occupied are within UNIFIL’s area of operations. The president also expressed hope that the Security Council would agree to retain the mission for another year. According to him, the Lebanese army will continue to need UNIFIL’s humanitarian and logistical services if it takes over deployment in these areas.
UNIFIL has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978 in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. According to the Lebanese authorities, more than 4,000 people have been killed, 12,000 injured, and over 1 million people forced to leave their homes as a result of Israeli attacks ongoing since March 2.
