President Joseph Aoun and a top US general discussed on Monday the implementation of a fragile truce between Hezbollah and Israel in South Lebanon, the presidency said.
The President and the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Kurilla, met as a January 26 deadline to fully implement the terms of the ceasefire approached.
Kurilla and Aoun spoke about "the situation in the south and the stages of implementing the Israeli withdrawal from the south," the presidency said.
Under the November 27 ceasefire accord, the Lebanese army has 60 days to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in the south of Lebanon as the Israeli army withdraws.
At the same time, Hezbollah is required to pull its forces north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure it has in the country's south.
A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French and US delegates, alongside a representative from the UN peacekeeping force, has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of the deal.
Aoun and Kurilla also discussed "ways to activate cooperation between the Lebanese and American armies," the presidency said.
The United States has been a key financial backer of the Lebanese armed forces, especially since the country's economy collapsed in 2019.
In a post on Centcom's X account on Tuesday, General Kurilla also explained that he had met with Major General Jasper Jeffers, Brigadier General Guillaume Ponchin, the Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Major General Aroldo Lázaro, and other members of the ceasefire monitoring committee. The head of CENTCOM explained that he had been briefed on the efforts made by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to secure and defend Lebanon. In this context, he reiterated his support for a strong and continuing military partnership with the LAF, focusing on training and equipping soldiers.
USCENTCOM Commander Visits Lebanon
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 14, 2025
On 13 January, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), conducted key leader engagements in Lebanon.
Gen. Kurilla met with newly elected President Joseph Aoun at the Presidential Palace. It was the first meeting… pic.twitter.com/KeqBGy347e
With AFP
Comments