A UNIFIL armored convoy near Nakoura, in southern Lebanon, on October 13, 2020. (Credit: Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP)
BEIRUT — UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday announced the appointment of a Spanish general as the new head of mission for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) deployed in southern Lebanon.
Here’s what we know:
• In a statement, UNIFIL said that Guterres had appointed Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz of Spain as head of mission and force commander for the UNIFIL troops.
• “Major General Lázaro Sáenz succeeds Major General Stefano Del Col of Italy, who will shortly complete his assignment,” the statement added.
• Major General Lázaro Sáenz currently serves as an adviser to the Spanish Defense Ministry and “ has a vast international experience and has been deployed to Peacekeeping Operations: three tours in Bosnia & Herzegovina under the command of the United Nations (UNPROFOR), NATO (SFOR) and the European Union (EUFOR) respectively; and three additional tours in UNIFIL as a Liaison Officer in Naqoura, Chief of Staff and Sector East Commander,” the statement added.
• In a statement Friday, the UN Security Council said that its members “deplored” the recent spate of altercations between residents in southern Lebanon and UNIFIL troops, noting that four such incidents took place on Dec. 22, 2021, and Jan. 4, 13 and 25.
• The statement said that the UN Security Council members “recalled the necessity for all parties to ensure that UNIFIL personnel are safe and secure and their freedom of movement is fully respected and unimpeded.”
• “The members of the Security Council called on the Lebanese authorities to investigate all attacks against UNIFIL and its personnel and bring to justice the perpetrators of those incidents in accordance with the Lebanese law and consistent with Security Council resolution 2589.”