Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Büyükanıt said Wednesday that the exact number of troops Türkiye will send to Lebanon under the UN peacekeeping mission remains undetermined, as it will depend on the specific areas where assistance is provided.
Speaking to reporters at a reception in Ankara, Büyükanıt outlined four missions authorized by parliament: naval patrols to curb smuggling in the Eastern Mediterranean, logistical support for allied humanitarian airlifts and sea lifts, optional military training for the Lebanese army (which could be conducted inside Türkiye), and protection of Turkish civilian relief personnel operating in Lebanon, including Turkish Red Crescent workers and technical teams.
The general firmly ruled out any role in disarming Lebanese armed factions, stating that no outside authority could assign Turkish forces a mission beyond those approved by parliament. "Nobody can give us such an order," he said.
Büyükanıt also confirmed that self-defense in the event of an armed attack is a universally recognized principle, echoing earlier remarks by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül on the matter.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2006, in its own words.