Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Indonesia Sends 742 Peacekeeping Troops to S. Lebanon


(MENAFN) Indonesia announced Monday it will dispatch more than 700 peacekeeping troops to southern Lebanon, pressing ahead with the mission despite a sustained pattern of Israeli attacks that have already claimed the lives of several UN peacekeepers — four of them Indonesian.

Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman confirmed that 742 soldiers will be deployed as part of a scheduled rotation to relieve Indonesian peacekeeping personnel currently stationed in Lebanon, according to a state-run news agency.

"I see that the troops are ready. Of course, this is a UN mission, but more importantly it is a mission for the Indonesian nation," Dudung said.

He underscored three priorities guiding the mission: safeguarding the soldiers' wellbeing, upholding Indonesia's standing on the world stage, and ensuring the troops perform their duties with the highest level of professionalism.

The deployment comes amid an alarming toll on UN personnel in the region. Six members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon have been killed in Israel's military assault on Lebanon — four of whom were Indonesian nationals.

A ceasefire announced on April 17 and extended through May 17 has done little to halt the violence on the ground. The Israeli military has continued to carry out daily strikes across Lebanon throughout the truce period.

The human cost of Israel's campaign since March 2 has been devastating. At least 2,869 people have been killed and 8,730 wounded, while more than 1.6 million — roughly one in five of Lebanon's population — have been forced from their homes, according to the latest official figures.

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