Aoun urges extension of UN peacekeepers' mandate

Lebanese President Joseph on Tuesday warned against ending the United Nations peacekeepers' mandate in the country's south, after the UN Security Council began debating extending their mission.

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The annual mandate renewal this year comes after Lebanese authorities, under heavy US pressure, have committed to disarming Hizbollah by year end, following a November ceasefire deal that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities between the Iran-backed group and Israel.

Israel and the United States, which wields a veto on the Security Council, have reportedly opposed the renewal.