Over 1,800 UN peacekeepers exit southern Lebanon: UN mission

More than 1,800 UN peacekeepers have left southern Lebanon since early November 2025, with over 300 more set to exit by May 2026, a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) official said on Thursday.

The drawdown stems from UN-wide budget reductions, not an early mission closure, UNIFIL spokesperson Candice Ardell told Xinhua in an exclusive interview, citing UN Security Council Resolution 2790, adopted in late August, which extended UNIFIL's mandate until Dec. 31, 2026, and authorized its gradual withdrawal thereafter.