The UN Security Council on Tuesday extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon until August 31, 2012, the Council said on its website.
The relevant resolution was adopted unanimously.
Lebanon asked the UN to extend the presence of peacekeepers in a letter dated July 22 and signed by the country's foreign minister.
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) was established in 1978. It has over 12,000 uniformed personnel on the ground. The mission ensures that the area between the so-called Blue Line - separating Israel and Lebanon - and the Litani River is free of unauthorized weapons, personnel and assets.
The Council also praised Unifil for the positive role it plays, saying its "deployment together with the Lebanese Armed Forces has helped to establish a new strategic environment in southern Lebanon."
