UNIFIL to stay put in southern Lebonon

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) said its forces will stay put in all locations, despite Israeli occupation's request for them to move. In a statement on Saturday UNIFIL official spokeperson Andrea Tenenti said that the Israeli occupation force informed them of its intention to execute "limited incursions" inside Lebanese territories. "To move from some of our positions was also a request but we decided, and it was also discussed with New York, to stay in all positions," he said. "That is a decision that was made considering all the elements, including the safety and security of our peacekeepers, and also the population," he added. The UN official noted that "It's important at the moment to be on the ground and to be able to monitor, as limited as we are, the situation and to try to de-escalate the tension." He added that "we are still working and trying to keep a channel of communications. It's also the responsibility of the parties to ensure the security of our troops ." "We are not the target. We are here to try and bring back stability to this region," said Tenenti. The official described the situation on the ground as concerning, affirming that safety was a priority for all troops. He noted that if the situation reaches a point where it would be impossible for the mission to safely operate then the UN Security Council would decide what to do and how to move forward. Source: Kuwait News Agency