UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday unanimously adopted Resolution 2433, extending for another year the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which expires on Aug. 31.
The newly adopted resolution decides to extend the present mandate of UNIFIL until Aug. 31, 2019 and commends the positive role of UNIFIL, "whose deployment together with the Lebanese Armed Forces has helped to establish a new strategic environment in southern Lebanon."
Besides, the resolution affirms its strong continuing commitment to the existing UNIFIL mandate and calls for the full implementation of Resolution 1701 (2006).
In 2006, the Council adopted Resolution 1701, which called for a cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution mandated UNIFIL to assist the Lebanese Armed Forces in taking steps towards the establishment, between the Blue Line and the Litani River, of an area free of any armed personnel, assets and weapons other than those of the government and of UNIFIL, and to assist the government of Lebanon in securing its borders and other entry points to prevent the entry of arms into Lebanon without its consent.
UNIFIL has been operating in southern Lebanon for the past 40 years. First set up in 1978 to monitor a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, UNIFIL has grown in size and responsibilities, with now around 10,500 peacekeepers coming from 41 troop contributing countries. The mission maintains an intensive level of operational and other activities amounting to approximately 13,500 activities per month, day and night, in the area of operations.
Seventeen percent of activities are carried out jointly with the Lebanese Armed Forces. UNIFIL is complemented by a seven-vessel Maritime Task Force.
On Aug. 4, Lebanese civilians attacked a UNIFIL patrol in the south of the country after blocking a road in Majdal Zoun area. The Council expressed "the need for the conduct of a credible investigation to determine the exact circumstances of this attack" following the incident. Lebanon's President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri have both urged the Council to extend the mandate for another year.
