Saed News: UN Secretary-General Guterres said that maintaining United Nations forces in Lebanon after the end of the UNIFIL mission is vital.
According to SAEDNEWS, the UN Secretary-General, in a report submitted to the Security Council, emphasized the necessity of continuing the presence of UN-affiliated forces in Lebanon after the end of the current peacekeeping mission. This issue has gained particular importance amid the ongoing occupation of parts of southern Lebanon by the Israeli regime and continuing negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv.
Antonio Guterres stated that even after the end of the current peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, there will still be a need for a United Nations presence in the country.
The UN Security Council decided last August, under U.S. pressure, to end the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on December 31, 2026.
However, the Security Council asked Guterres to present proposals by June 1 regarding the continued presence of UN forces in Lebanon, particularly to monitor the “Blue Line.”
In his report, Guterres proposed three options to the Security Council, including the deployment of approximately 2,000 to over 5,500 UN personnel to monitor the ceasefire and support the Lebanese army.
The report states: “In all proposed options, the presence of UN forces will be necessary to facilitate de-escalation, dialogue, coordination, and support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, as part of a long-term solution to the conflict.”
Concerns about the withdrawal of UNIFIL arise while Israeli forces continue to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, and Lebanon and Israel are simultaneously engaged in indirect negotiations to end decades of conflict.
Currently, UNIFIL consists of around 7,500 peacekeepers from nearly 50 countries stationed in southern Lebanon near the Blue Line. These forces have been operating since 1978 as a buffer between Lebanon and the Israeli regime, although their presence has not prevented repeated clashes.
