UNIFIL commander: essential to transfer the missions to the Lebanese army and UN agencies before the forces' withdrawal

UNIFIL commander: essential to transfer the missions to the Lebanese army and UN agencies before the forces' withdrawal

UN peacekeeping force commander in Lebanon, UNIFIL, says that before these forces withdraw at the end of the year, it must be ensured that the Lebanese army and other UN agencies can fully take over UNIFIL's missions

General Davide Abaniara, commander of the Italian UNIFIL, told Reuters in southern Lebanon that the handover must be done "in a very smooth manner" and that coordination with other UN agencies and the Lebanese army is already underway

UNIFIL, operating in southern Lebanon for nearly 50 years, since the start of the new war between Israeli hostages and Hezbollah in March, in addition to monitoring the clashes, also provided security escort for aid convoys to several mainly Christian towns in southern Lebanon that are under siege by Israeli hostage forces. The UN Security Council ordered UNIFIL to begin its withdrawal from the end of 2026. This decision raised concerns about the continuation of humanitarian aid transfers and how UNIFIL positions will be handed over to the Lebanese army

UNIFIL commander said that this force works with the UN team in Lebanon to continue providing assistance in areas under the hostages' control and to transfer information on "sensitive areas" to the Lebanese army

However, he acknowledged that handing over part of UNIFIL's duties to the Lebanese army could be "very difficult" because more than half of those positions are now in areas under the control of Israeli hostages