BEIRUT: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon plans to withdraw most of its troops by mid 2027, its spokesperson told AFP on Tuesday, after the peacekeepers’ mandate expires this year.
UNIFIL has acted as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon for decades and has been assisting the Lebanese army as it dismantles Hezbollah infrastructure near the Israeli border after a recent war between Israel and the Iran-backed group.
Under pressure from the United States and Israel, the UN Security Council voted last year to end the force’s mandate on December 31, 2026, with an “orderly and safe drawdown and withdrawal” within one year.
Spokesperson Kandice Ardiel, said that “UNIFIL is planning to draw down and withdraw all, or substantially all, uniformed personnel by mid-year 2027,” completing the pullout by year end.
After UNIFIL operations cease on December 31 this year, she said, “we begin the process of sending UNIFIL personnel and equipment home and transferring our UN positions to the Lebanese authorities.”
