--- title: "UN peacekeeping mandate in southern Lebanon set to expire at end of year" url: https://newscentral.site/un-peacekeeping-mandate-in-southern-lebanon-set-to-expire-at-end/ language: en publisher: "News Central Site" section: "World" published: 2026-10-14T17:49:16.000Z updated: 2026-10-15T08:40:14.658Z id: 7f6c1d61-56fe-41a0-ab0e-971488331555 source: "ABC News International https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/peacekeeping-chief-major-questions-hang-southern-lebanon-unifil-137265005" attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/un-peacekeeping-mandate-in-southern-lebanon-set-to-expire-at-end/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story." --- # UN peacekeeping mandate in southern Lebanon set to expire at end of year The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is nearing the end of its mandate, with no decision yet made on what kind of U.N. presence might replace it. The United Nations peacekeeping chief has expressed concern over plans for southern Lebanon as the UNIFIL mandate nears its end. The long-running U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon is set to expire at the end of the year, marking a nearly 50-year presence. Undersecretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix visited Beirut and met with Lebanese officials, who are unanimous in their desire for a continued U.N. presence to monitor and report on tensions between Israeli and Lebanese troops on the ground. This would involve defusing potential hotspots and preventing violence from escalating. Lebanese officials have been pushing for a last-minute extension of UNIFIL's mandate, but so far without success. Several options are being considered for a potential successor force, although no decision has yet been made about what kind of U.N. presence might replace the existing one. The UN peacekeeping chief emphasized the importance of hearing from Lebanese authorities during negotiations about their future presence in southern Lebanon. This comes as the UN Security Council voted to terminate UNIFIL's mandate at the end of 2026, following pressure from the US and Israel. The two countries had accused UNIFIL of failing to prevent Hezbollah's military buildup in the region. The security situation in southern Lebanon has deteriorated significantly since then, particularly with the outbreak of the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah in March. A fragile ceasefire is currently in place, but Israel continues to occupy a large part of the area. Israel's actions have included demolitions and strikes that it claims target Hezbollah facilities, but which have also destroyed thousands of homes and entire villages. As the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) prepares to exit southern Lebanon, major questions remain about who will take over its responsibilities. A new "support mission for Lebanon has been proposed by the European Union, but it would focus solely on training the Lebanese army and other security forces. This plan does not involve patrolling or monitoring border areas, which are currently UNIFIL's primary tasks. The role of UNTSO, a small unarmed U.N. observer force, will remain after UNIFIL departs. However, concerns have been raised about whether this force can operate effectively without the protection provided by a U.N. military presence. UNIFIL also plays a crucial role in facilitating the movement of civilians living within the Israeli-occupied area, known as the yellow line." It is unclear who will take over this responsibility once UNIFIL's mandate ends. The withdrawal of UNIFIL raises concerns about potential escalation between Israeli and Lebanese soldiers. The U.N. peacekeeping chief has highlighted the importance of maintaining liaison and de-confliction efforts to prevent unintended clashes. The United Nations' peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, has been tasked with monitoring and reporting any violations of a key resolution that brought an end to the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Following another conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2024, UNIFIL was part of a mechanism established to oversee the implementation of a ceasefire agreement, but this committee appears to have lost momentum, particularly after yet another outbreak of violence in March. As its mandate draws to a close, UNIFIL will have one year to complete its operations and withdraw from Lebanon, with approximately 7,500 peacekeepers from 46 countries currently stationed there, down from a peak of around 10,000. --- Source: [ABC News International](https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/peacekeeping-chief-major-questions-hang-southern-lebanon-unifil-137265005) Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/un-peacekeeping-mandate-in-southern-lebanon-set-to-expire-at-end/