UNIFIL is reducing number of peacekeepers in south Lebanon, says spokesperson

BEIRUT — United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) spokesperson Kandice Ardiel told local television channel LBCI on Monday that the process to reduce the number of peacekeepers deployed on the ground in south Lebanon has begun.

She said most withdrawals will take place in the coming weeks due to U.N.-wide budget cuts.

“We will do everything we can to minimize any negative impact that the funding shortfall may cause, and we are working closely with the Lebanese authorities and UNIFIL troop-contributing countries to implement these changes with the least possible impact,” she said.

“We will continue to focus on our core tasks — monitoring the Blue Line and violations of Resolution 1701 — and especially on our support to the Lebanese Army, which will remain a priority for us,” Ardiel added.

In October, a senior United Nations official announced a 25 percent reduction in the number of peacekeepers worldwide because of U.S. budget cuts affecting various U.N. agencies and NGOs. UNIFIL Commander Gen. Diodato Abagnara assured President Joseph Aoun that the gradual reduction “will not affect the existing coordination” between peacekeepers and the Lebanese Army.

Ardiel had said in an interview with Emirati media outlet Erem News that the reduction “will have negative effects on [UNIFIL’s] ability to fully carry out [its] mandate” in south Lebanon.

In August, the U.N. Security Council voted to renew the peacekeeping mission for a final year, beginning a gradual phase-out of the force by Dec. 31, 2026, after nearly 50 years along the border with Israel. The decision came under pressure from the United States and Israel after the latter had signed a cease-fire deal with Hezbollah ending 13 months of war.

UNIFIL commander visits Naqoura

Hours before Ardiel’s remarks to LBCI, Abagnara visited Naqoura's municipality, where he was briefed on the Israeli damage to the town and its infrastructure, according to a UNIFIL statement.

Abagnara distributed 100 food parcels to residents, reaffirming “UNIFIL’s commitment to supporting the local community and strengthening its resilience.”

He met with members of the municipal council and its president, Ibrahim Hamza. According to the statement, the visit addressed several vital issues for the village, including water, environmental and road concerns, as well as the urgent and ongoing needs of residents.

Despite the November 2024 cease-fire, Israel continues to carry out near-daily airstrikes in the South and still occupies several areas of Lebanese territory.

UNIFIL itself has not been spared. On Sunday, the Israeli army fired at peacekeepers from a Merkava tank near an Israeli-occupied position near Khiam. UNIFIL condemned the incident as “a grave violation of [U.N.] Resolution 1701.”