THE United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) will withdraw from Lebanon by 2027, it was announced on Tuesday.

The plan to withdraw the majority of its troops from southern Lebanon by mid-2027 will follow the end of its mandate at the end of December 2026.

The UN security council made the decision on August 28, 2025 to extend Unifil’s mandate for the final time and gave a one-year timeframe to complete the withdrawal.

The UN forces reduced their presence in South Lebanon by nearly 2,000 peacekeepers in recent months, bringing the force’s strength to about 7,500 personnel from 48 countries.

The mission’s spokesperson, Candice Ardiel, confirmed that the objective is to complete the entire withdrawal process by the end of 2027.

The reduction in the number of troops directly relates to the financial crisis at the UN and the subsequent cost-cutting measures that have been implemented across all UN missions globally.

The Unifil withdrawal places increased responsibility on the Lebanese armed forces at a time when the Israelis continue to violate the ceasefire with Lebanon which came into force last November.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed four people on Monday including a Lebanese security forces member and his child, hours after the Israeli army seized a member of Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya.