Head of the Defence Ministry\u2019s Information Bureau, Brigadier General\nRico Ricardo Sirait, stated that two Indonesian National Army (TNI)\nsoldiers fell during their assignment in the United Nations Interim\nForce in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission on Monday, 30 March 2026.\nThe two soldiers were struck in an attack due to the increasing\nintensity of fighting in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe incident in southern Lebanon affected TNI Task Force personnel\nwho were carrying out escort duties to support UNIFIL operational\nactivities,\u201d Rico said in a written statement on Tuesday, 31 March\n2026.<\/p>\n
According to Rico, the exact cause of the incident that led to the\ntwo TNI soldiers\u2019 deaths is currently being investigated by UNIFIL. He\nsaid that two other TNI soldiers also sustained serious injuries. Both\ninjured soldiers have been intensively treated at a medical facility in\nBeirut, Lebanon.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvacuation and medical handling measures have been carried out\nquickly in accordance with United Nations operational procedures,\u201d said\nthe one-star general.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Defence and TNI Headquarters have not yet officially\nreleased the identities of the soldiers who became victims in Lebanon.\nHead of TNI Information Centre, Major General Aulia Dwi Nasrullah, had\nnot responded to messages when asked about the victims\u2019 identities.<\/p>\n
In the span of two days at the end of March, a total of three TNI\nsoldiers serving as UNIFIL peacekeepers were killed in Lebanon due to\nattacks from Israel. Five other Indonesian military personnel also\nsustained minor and serious injuries.<\/p>\n
Member of Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR), Tubagus\nHasanuddin, urged the TNI to evaluate the security system and\noperational procedures for all Garuda Contingent soldiers in conflict\nareas following the deaths of military personnel. He stated that the\nevaluation must include a review of the positions of TNI contingent\nobservation posts assigned to the UNIFIL mission.<\/p>\n
The TNI, he said, also needs to enhance physical protection at bases.\n\u201cAs well as tightening standard operating procedures during armed\ncontact in the duty area,\u201d he said in his statement on Monday, 30 March\n2026.<\/p>\n
This PDI Perjuangan politician assessed that the safety of soldiers\nshould be the government\u2019s top priority. Therefore, he believes\nmitigation steps need to be reviewed again to minimise risks.<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially amid increasingly volatile security conditions, without\nreducing Indonesia\u2019s commitment to carrying out the world\u2019s peacekeeping\nmission,\u201d said Tubagus.<\/p>\n
In addition, he urged the Indonesian government to respond seriously\nto the attack incident that killed one military soldier. According to\nhim, in addition to refining mitigation measures, the government must\nrequest a comprehensive, transparent, and independent investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe focus of the investigation must ensure whether the attack was an\nunintended impact of conflict escalation or a violation of international\nlaw,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He asked the Indonesian government to immediately submit an official\ndemand to the United Nations Security Council and the UN\nSecretary-General\u2019s Secretariat to thoroughly investigate the incident.\nThe government, he said, also needs to convey a firm stance that the\nattack on UN personnel constitutes a war crime that must be followed\nup.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-tni-soldiers-killed-while-escorting-unifil-operational-activities-1774925537", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }