Parliament is likely to extend a mandate of Turkish troops in Lebanon in a session this week, amid tensions in the Middle Eastern country. A total of 92 troops currently serve in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will refer the extension of their mandate, which is set to expire on Oct. 31, to the General Assembly of Parliament.
Türkiye joined the international mission which has more than 10,000 peacekeepers from 50 countries in 2006. The parliament greenlit a one-year mandate then and this was repeatedly extended. If approved again, Turkish troops will remain part of UNIFIL until Oct. 31, 2025. Türkiye also contributed a frigate to UNIFIL.
UNIFIL was set up in the 1970s and took upon a monitoring role in the region following the end of a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006. The conflict renewed after Oct. 7, 2023, and reached an unprecedented level after Israel assassinated Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah. Israel heightened its attacks following the killing and spread its attacks further north of the Lebanese capital Beirut after initial attacks on southern suburbs of the city where Hezbollah had strongholds.
UNIFIL has said that its forces have repeatedly come under fire in the town of Naqura where it is headquartered, as well as in other positions since last week. At least five U.N. peacekeepers have been wounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on the U.N. Secretary-General to move peacekeepers deployed in southern Lebanon out of "harm's way.” He also stated that they asked UNIFIL to withdraw its positions several times while claiming that they “regret” injuring UNIFIL soldiers. "There was a unanimous decision to stay because it's important for the U.N. flag to still fly high in this region, and to be able to report to the Security Council," UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in an interview on Saturday. Tenenti said Israel had asked UNIFIL to withdraw from positions "up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Blue Line" separating both countries, but the peacekeepers refused.
Türkiye recently sent humanitarian aid to Lebanon while organizing the evacuation of its citizens from the country following Israeli attacks. Ankara condemned Israel's offensive as an "unlawful invasion attempt" and called for the withdrawal of its troops. "This attack must end as soon as possible and Israeli soldiers must withdraw from Lebanese territory," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement earlier this month. Ankara warned that it is likely to trigger a new wave of migrants. "As a result of this dangerous invasion attempt, it is highly likely that a new wave of migration will emerge and extremists will gain ground all over the world," the ministry said. It urged the U.N. Security Council to "comply with international law and take the necessary measures."
