UNSC unanimously votes to renew peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, cut troop levels

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 29: UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and calling for the reduction of the number of peacekeepers in the country, UN Security Council President for August Dian Triansyah Djani said following the closer voting procedure.

“The result of the voting is as follows; the draft resolution received 15 votes in favor. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously,” Djani said on Friday.

The resolution, sponsored by France, calls for the reduction of troops from 15,000 to 13,000.

The adoption comes a few weeks after on August 4, a massive explosion occurred at the port of Beirut that destroyed nearly half of the city’s buildings and killed more than 170 people while injuring more than 5,000 others.

The Lebanese authorities said the improper storage of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate in the Beirut port was the cause of the blast.

(AGENCIES)