Doha: The United Nations announced Wednesday the appointment of Major General Diodato Abagnara of Italy as the Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Abagnara will take over from Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz of Spain.

According to Qatar News Agency, Major General Abagnara brings over 36 years of military service experience. Throughout his career, he has held various command positions within the Italian Armed Forces. His most recent role was as the Commander and Chairman of the Military Technical Committee for Lebanon (MTC4L), where he was responsible for coordinating multinational efforts in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces.

In addition to his recent role, Abagnara has experience with UNIFIL, having served as the Commander of UNIFIL’s Sector West from 2018 to 2019. His extensive experience in Lebanon and with international peacekeeping operations positions him well to lead the mission in its efforts to maintain peace and security in the region.