Turkey signals interest in post-UNIFIL security plan for Lebanon

In Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Turkey’s intention to participate in any forthcoming security arrangement for Lebanon after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) concludes its mandate at year-end. Speaking alongside Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Erdogan stressed that Turkish involvement would aim to reinforce Lebanon’s sovereignty and assist the cash-strapped Lebanese army. France and Italy have similarly signaled interest in a UNIFIL successor, though the structure—whether under a U.N. mandate or another framework—has not been defined.

The statements arrive amid a tenuous truce that followed a March conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which caused over 4,000 deaths and massive displacement. A recent U.S.-brokered “framework agreement” calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from occupied southern Lebanese areas in return for Hezbollah’s disarmament. Both leaders expressed optimism about expanding Turkish-Lebanese ties and urged greater dialogue with Syria to stabilize the region.