JAKARTA - The mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) will expire on December 31, 2026. UNIFIL plans to withdraw all its troops from Lebanon by mid-2027.
"UNIFIL plans to reduce and withdraw all, or most, uniformed personnel by mid-2027," UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel was quoted as saying by AFP, Tuesday, February 10.
Ardiel said that after the UNIFIL operation ended, the process of repatriating UNIFIL personnel and equipment would be carried out. Furthermore, the transfer of UNIFIL authority to the Lebanese authorities.
During the withdrawal, he continued, UNIFIL troops will only be allowed to carry out limited tasks such as protecting and securing the transport of personnel and UN bases.
UNIFIL has acted as a mediator between Israel and Lebanon for decades.
Initially, UNIFIL forces were formed by the UN Security Council in March 1978 to monitor Israel's military withdrawal from Lebanon, maintain peace and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the region.
Madat UNIFIL was adjusted twice, due to developments in 1982 and 2000.
Since the end of the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, UNIFIL's task of maintaining border security has created a weapons-free zone in southern Lebanon with the Lebanese army.
Fierce fighting between Hezbollah and Israel resumed for 14 months and ended in a US-French-brokered ceasefire on November 27, 2024.
However, after the 2024 ceasefire until early 2026, the Israeli army still routinely carries out attacks on Lebanon. UNIFIL has also repeatedly reported that Israel has shot at or near its personnel since the ceasefire.
Israel, which maintains military posts in five Lebanese border areas, continues to claim that it targets Hezbollah in attacks that often take civilian lives.
After the 2024 ceasefire, UNIFIL has also been credited with helping the Lebanese army dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure near the Israeli border.
In 2025, under pressure from the US and Israel, the UN Security Council decided to end the mandate of the UNIFIL forces on December 31, 2026, with "an orderly and safe withdrawal and reduction" within a year.
Pressure has been building on UNIFIL's withdrawal from Lebanon amid US antipathy since US President Donald Trump took office against UN mandates, mainly related to conflicts involving Israel.
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