UNIFIL head says smooth transition key ahead of start of withdrawal at end of year

NEAR MANSOURI, Lebanon —  The head of United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon says it is critical to ensure other UN agencies and Lebanese troops can assume the tasks carried out by the force before it begins withdrawing at the end of this year.

Major General Diodato Abagnara of Italy speaks to Reuters in southern Lebanon at a position operated by the UN peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL, which has been monitoring hostilities in southern Lebanon for nearly 50 years.

The UN Security Council has ordered UNIFIL to begin withdrawing at the end of 2026.

“There are other United Nations entities here in the south, and so what is very important for us (is) to conduct a very smooth transition to different entities, or for the future of a new mission,” Abagnara tells Reuters.

He says UNIFIL was already working with the UN’s country team to ensure humanitarian assistance in Israeli-occupied areas and information sharing with the Lebanese army about “sensitive areas (and) how they can manage this situation.”

Abagnara acknowledges that it could be “very difficult” to hand over some of UNIFIL’s posts to Lebanese troops given that more than half lie within areas now controlled by Israeli troops.

Diplomats worry UNIFIL’s departure will mean an end to the UN’s “eyes and ears” in southern Lebanon.