UNIFIL calls for permanent ceasefire in southern Lebanon

The head of the UN Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and its Commander-in-Chief, General Aroldo Lazaro, called on Wednesday for an end to "hostilities" in southern Lebanon and a move towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution to the conflict. In a statement on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, Lazaro said that the danger of escalation is real there is no military solution to the current confrontation and violence, and a political and diplomatic solution is the only way forward. He pointed out that since October, UNIFIL has continued to call on the parties to respect their obligations under Resolution 1701 and has continued its activities aimed at reducing tensions and preventing escalation. About 50 countries send peacekeeping forces to southern Lebanon out of a sense of commitment, friendship, and the belief that long-term peace is possible in the region, Lazaro added. Source: Kuwait News Agency