Sharjah 24 – AFP: The United Nations Security Council on Thursday renewed the mandate for its peacekeeping force in Lebanon for another year after tense debate around the troops' freedom of movement within the country.
The vote, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed for further negotiations, came in under the wire Thursday only a few hours before the mission's previous authorization was set to expire.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in place since 1978, is tasked with creating a buffer between Israel and Lebanon, which are technically at war.
Thursday's resolution passed with 13 votes in favor and Russia and China abstaining, and keeps the force in place until August 31, 2024.
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