The Turkish Parliament on Tuesday approved a presidential motion to extend the deployment of Turkish troops in Lebanon for another two years under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The motion, submitted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was passed following deliberations in the General Assembly, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media.
Türkiye has been part of UNIFIL, which includes over 10,000 peacekeepers from 50 countries, since 2006. The parliament initially approved a one-year mandate that has been repeatedly extended. If confirmed, Turkish forces will remain in Lebanon until October 31, 2025. Türkiye has also contributed a frigate to the mission.
UNIFIL was originally established in the 1970s to monitor ceasefires in Lebanon and took on a more active role following the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Tensions in the region escalated after October 7, 2023, and reached new heights following Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, prompting Israel to intensify attacks beyond southern Beirut into northern areas, violating the cease-fire multiple times.