Beirut: Lebanese Forces leader, Samir Geagea, on Wednesday expressed deep concern over recent incidents targeting UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, questioning the absence of a clear stance from Lebanese authorities.

According to National News Agency – Lebanon, Geagea stated, ‘If UNIFIL is overstepping its mandate, the Lebanese government should inform the force accordingly. But if it is not, as clearly defined in UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and its successive renewals, then the relevant authorities must not only intervene to halt confrontations but also detain and prosecute the assailants.’

Geagea warned that portraying the state as a mere mediator between UN peacekeepers and those attacking them weakens state authority and perpetuates the perception that nothing has changed in Lebanon despite all recent upheavals.

Geagea also called for swift arrests and firm legal action, saying it would signal the emergence of a functioning state in Lebanon.