Reuters · October 14, 2026

UN Peacekeeping Chief Urges Security Council to Begin Talks on Future of Lebanon Mission

• UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Wednesday urged the UN Security Council to begin negotiations on the future of peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon, according to the report.
• The UN force known as UNIFIL has been deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978. The Security Council last year ordered the mission to begin withdrawing at the end of 2026, and its mandate is set to expire at the end of this year, according to the report.
• The Lebanese government has campaigned for an extension to the mandate, citing the force's role in monitoring hostilities and facilitating aid deliveries, according to the report.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier this year presented proposals for a continued uniformed UN presence in Lebanon, but no action has been taken yet, Lacroix told Reuters.
• About 7,500 UNIFIL peacekeepers remain deployed at about 50 positions in southern Lebanon, according to the report.
• Diplomats say the United States is not supportive of an extended mandate for UNIFIL, according to the report. Lacroix said it was important to focus on Lebanon's request and that Security Council negotiations could yield a constructive outcome, according to the report.

Statements by Jean-Pierre Lacroix in an interview with Reuters in Beirut, as reported in the original report. The U.S. position is documented in the source as stated by diplomats, as noted above. This card is based on the accessible portion only. Original headline: "UN peacekeeping chief says talks on future of Lebanon mission must begin soon".