Lebanon open to European troops after Unifil withdrawal, president says

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said he is open to France and other European countries maintaining a military presence in southern Lebanon following the planned withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon later this year. In comments shared by the presidency on X, Aoun said Lebanon “welcomes the willingness of France and other European countries to keep their forces in the south after the beginning of the withdrawal of UNIFIL, in order to help the Lebanese army maintain security an