EU to establish training and support mission for Lebanese army
The EU will establish a mission to train and advise the Lebanese Armed Forces, focusing on territorial control, border security and internal security.
The mission is expected to be formally established on October 12 at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
The EU already provides $1.12 billion in financial, humanitarian and security assistance to Lebanon covering 2024 to 2027.
Fears of a security vacuum persist in south Lebanon, where Israel occupies about 65 towns and villages and Hezbollah retains influence.
"There cannot be a security vacuum when Unifil leaves. Lebanon must have full control of its whole territory," the EU's foreign affairs chief said.
The European Union will establish a mission to support and train the underfunded Lebanese Armed Forces, the bloc's foreign affairs chief said on Thursday.
Kaja Kallas, who was visiting Beirut, said the mission was not a replacement for the UN's peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon (Unifil), whose mandate is set to expire at the end of the year.
“It will advise and assist the LAF and Internal Security Forces to strengthen territorial control, border security and also internal security,” she said, alongside Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi.
“It's not the Unifil replacement and it will not only focus on southern Lebanon,” Ms Kallas added, saying a continued UN presence remained under discussion.
The mission is expected to be formally established on October 12 at a meeting of EU foreign ministers, after a formal invitation from Lebanese authorities.
The EU already provides financial, humanitarian and security assistance to Lebanon through a €1 billion ($1.12 billion) support package covering 2024 to 2027.
There are fears of a security vacuum in south Lebanon – where Israel occupies about 65 towns and villages and Hezbollah continues to hold influence – as the UN mission prepares to withdraw with no successor formally announced. There have been suggestions that EU member states France and Italy could play a role.
“We remain ready to work with Lebanon and UN Security Council members on what comes next,” Ms Kallas said.
“There cannot be a security vacuum when Unifil leaves. Lebanon must have full control of its whole territory. That also means moving towards the disarmament of Hezbollah,” she added. Any international force must have a UN mandate, she said.
The LAF, which is severely underfunded and relies on international donors, has sought to expand its presence in south Lebanon but has faced intense difficulties amid the latest Israeli occupation.
Hezbollah's military arsenal and continued support in parts of Lebanon have raised fears of internal discord or even civil war should disarmament be done by force, amid pressure from the US and Israel to take a firmer stance.
Israel's latest war on Lebanon, which was renewed again March against the backdrop of hostilities against Iran, has killed more than 4,300 Lebanese people and led to the destruction of a large number of border towns and villages.
It came after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel following the killing of Iran's supreme leader.
Ms Kallas is on a two-day trip to Lebanon, where she also met with President Joseph Aoun among others.