Sharjah 24 – AFP: The Security Council on Wednesday renewed the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon for one year, and asked it to continue providing logistical support for the Lebanese armed forces for another six months.

The peacekeeping force, known by its acronym UNIFIL, has been in Lebanon since 1978. Composed of nearly 10,000 soldiers, it is deployed in the south of the country as a buffer between Lebanon and Israel, which remain technically in a state of war.

At the request of the Lebanese authorities, the Security Council decided to extend its mandate until August 2023, expressing concern about "violations" of the ceasefire that ended fighting between “Hezbollah” and Israel in 2006 that were detailed in a report by the UN secretary-general.

The resolution adopted unanimously by the 15 members stresses in particular "the risk that violations of the cessation of hostilities could lead to a new conflict that none of the parties or the region can afford."

In his report to the Council, Antonio Guterres noted that while the "underlying drivers of the conflict have not dramatically changed since 2006, UNIFIL does face new challenges in the conduct of its operations," including restrictions on its freedom of movement.