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UNIFIL Mandate Renewal Underway: Role Assessment and Downsizing

Bassam Abou Zeid, 21/08 14:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

UN Security Council Hezbollah Israel United States UNIFIL Mandate

Deliberations are ongoing among the permanent members of the UN Security Council regarding the renewal of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate for another year. However, the debates remain centered between the United States and Israel on one hand, and France on the other. According to French diplomatic sources, “the renewal of ...

UNIFIL Chief Abaniara Reaffirms Mission in South Lebanon

This is Beirut, 21/08 13:05 - Reading : less than a minute

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Major General Diodato Abaniara, commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), on Thursday reaffirmed the mission’s commitment to supporting the Lebanese Army (LAF) in extending its authority, maintaining security, and protecting residents of southern Lebanon. Responding to questions about UNIFIL’s priorities following the ...

Residents Protest Against UNIFIL Patrol in Deir Siryan

This is Beirut, 20/08 22:05 - Reading : less than a minute

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On Wednesday, residents of Deir Siryan, close to Hezbollah, protested after a Finnish UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) patrol reportedly entered private olive groves without being accompanied by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). The incident comes ahead of a vote on the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate, with the UN Security Council ...

US Signals Conditional UNIFIL Extension Amid Lebanese Security Concerns

This is Beirut, 20/08 21:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

UNIFIL Lebanon Security United States Mandate Nabih Berri

A US State Department source overseeing the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mission said Wednesday that the one-year extension for the peacekeeping force is not open-ended, but comes with a clear timeline to end its role. Speaking to MTV Lebanon, the official emphasized that the naval component will remain until the mission’s ...

UNIFIL and LAF Discover Tunnel and Unexploded Ordnance in South Lebanon

This is Beirut, 20/08 16:55 - Reading : less than a minute

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UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) peacekeepers have discovered a 50-meter-long tunnel and several unexploded pieces of ordnance near the town of al-Qusayr in southern Lebanon, the mission announced Wednesday. The discovery was made in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), according to a UNIFIL press release. “In ...

Salam and Berri Call for Crucial Renewal of UNIFIL’s Mandate

This is Beirut, 20/08 15:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Prime Minister Nawaf Salam underscored on Wednesday the crucial role of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, saying that renewing its mandate is essential for maintaining calm and helping the army assert state authority across the region. During a meeting at the Grand Serail, attended by U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin, members of the congressional ...

UNIFIL: Withdrawal or Extension? The Countdown Begins

Élie-Joe Kamel, 19/08 15:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

UN Security Council Hezbollah UNIFIL Lebanon Israel

Will UNIFIL’s presence in southern Lebanon be extended beyond August 31? The question is at the heart of diplomatic negotiations as the Security Council prepares to vote on August 25, while the mandate of the UN force expires at the end of the month. On Monday, the UN Security Council began debating a draft resolution presented by France to ...

Aoun Stresses Lebanon’s Commitment to Renewing UNIFIL's Mandate

This is Beirut, 19/08 14:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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A week ahead of U.N. talks on extending UNIFIL’s mandate, and with some Security Council members questioning the usefulness of renewing the peacekeepers’ mission, President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to maintaining the multinational force in the south “for as long as necessary” to fully implement UN Resolution ...

UN Debates Future Withdrawal of Lebanon Peacekeeping Force

This is Beirut, 19/08 09:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The United Nations Security Council began to debate Monday a resolution drafted by France to extend the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon for a year with the ultimate aim to withdraw it. Israel and the United States have reportedly opposed the renewal of the force's mandate, and it was unclear if the draft text has backing from Washington, ...

Trump Administration Moves to Phase Out UNIFIL

This is Beirut, 18/08 13:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The future of U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon has become a point of tension between the United States and its European allies, raising implications for regional security. UNIFIL’s mandate, which expires at the end of August, requires renewal by the U.N. Security Council. According to an ABC News article published on August 17, Secretary of State ...

UNIFIL Uncovers Tunnel Network and Weapons in South Lebanon

This is Beirut, 07/08 16:05 - Reading : less than a minute

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UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) forces have uncovered an extensive network of fortified tunnels near the towns of Tayr Harfa, Zebqine and Naqoura, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti announced on Thursday. Tenenti said the network included “a number of bunkers, artillery pieces, multiple rocket launchers, as well as hundreds of ...

UN Peacekeeper Killed in 2022: Main Suspect Sentenced to Death in Absentia

This is Beirut, 29/07 12:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The military court sentenced a man to death in absentia for killing an Irish United Nations peacekeeper, a judicial official said Tuesday, after Hezbollah members were accused of involvement in the 2022 incident. Private Sean Rooney, 23, was killed and three others were wounded after a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) convoy came under fire ...

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