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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beirut, January 2 (Xinhua) — More than 1,800 UN peacekeepers have left southern Lebanon since early November 2025, with more than 300 expected to leave by May 2026, Candice Ardell, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Thursday.
The peacekeepers' withdrawal is due to overall budget cuts, not the early closure of the mission, she noted. According to the agency's source, UN Security Council Resolution 2790, adopted in late August 2025, extended UNIFIL's mandate until December 31, 2026, and authorized its gradual withdrawal thereafter.
UNIFIL comprises approximately 10,500 peacekeepers from around 50 countries.
K. Ardell said that over the past year, the Lebanese army has destroyed 370 illegal weapons depots and associated infrastructure south of the Litani River, intensifying its operations in the area with the support of UNIFIL.
She identified Israel's ongoing military activity in Lebanon as the main obstacle to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and achieving lasting stability. Although both Lebanon and Israel reaffirmed their commitment to Resolution 1701 through the November 2024 agreement, which Ardell described as a framework for a long-term solution, Israel's ongoing ground and air operations in Lebanon continue to threaten the stability process, the agency's interlocutor noted.
Strengthening the Lebanese army remains the cornerstone of restoring stability and creating conditions for the return of displaced persons, stated K. Ardell, adding that local armed forces need additional support and training to ensure security in the south. She also warned that hostile rhetoric is further escalating tensions.
K. Ardell called on all parties to move from words to action and fully implement Resolution 1701, and for the Israeli army to leave Lebanon. –0–
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