EU calls for extension of UNIFIL mission in southern Lebanon

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced from Beirut that EU member states support extending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), as its mission nears completion at the end of this year amidst escalating tensions with Israel.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse on the sidelines of her visit to Lebanon, Kallas said: "Member states have always stated that a security vacuum cannot be allowed in southern Lebanon, so everyone is concerned about the end of UNIFIL's mission," clarifying that "the extension of this mandate would be greatly welcomed and this is the position of the EU member states."