Argentina withdraws from UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon amid rising tensions

ISTANBUL

The UN reported Tuesday that Argentina has withdrawn from the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Speaking at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the assistant secretary-general for peace operations at the UN, reported that Argentina had pulled out from UNIFIL, which had been subjected to attacks in Lebanon.

Lacroix said that four officers from UNIFIL’s observer group in Lebanon had been withdrawn, adding: "It's the prerogative of any member state to make that decision."

Meanwhile, UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told a UN press briefing: "That's correct. Argentina has asked its officers to go back."

"There are three Argentinian officers in UNIFIL. So our operational capabilities have not changed," Tenenti said.

Underlining that all other countries have expressed their commitment to stay, he said: "No other countries have asked to withdraw their peacekeepers from UNIFIL."

Regarding the reason for their departure, the spokesperson said the country did not disclose why they were leaving in the withdrawal request.

UNIFIL had previously reported three separate attacks by Israel targeting its soldiers, personnel and facilities in southern Lebanon, with one of the attacks resulting in injuries to four peacekeeping soldiers.

Israel has been engaged in cross-border warfare with Lebanon, launching an air campaign against what it claims are targets of the Hezbollah group in late September.

More than 3,500 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon, with nearly 15,000 injured and more than a million displaced since last October, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1 this year.