Future UN mission needed to help prevent escalation, Guterres says

Future UN mission needed to help prevent escalation, Guterres says UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council that the United Nations must maintain a presence in Lebanon when the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) expires at the end of the year. “Under all proposed options, a uniformed United Nations presence working to facilitate de-escalation, dialogue, liaison and coordination, and support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, would be necessary,” he said. Guterres proposed three possible frameworks for a future mission, ranging from nearly 2,000 personnel to more than 5,500.