3 Soldiers Fall in Lebanon, DPR Member: Safety Must Be Prioritised
Jakarta - Deputy Chairman of DPR RI Commission I Dave Laksono stated that the government should prioritise the safety of TNI soldiers serving as peacekeeping troops in Lebanon following the deaths of three soldiers in the country.
According to Dave, the insecure security situation in Lebanon demands firm steps from various parties, including the United Nations (UN) as the organiser of the peacekeeping mission.
“The safety of the soldiers must be prioritised, as well as clarity on the nature of the operation. If war is still raging between Hezbollah and Israel, and this is clearly not only dangerous but has already claimed the lives of our soldiers, there must be firmness, both from the UN itself and from TNI headquarters,” said Dave at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday (31/3/2026).
“As far as I know, the number of peacekeeping personnel is around nearly 5,000, with about 800 from TNI soldiers. If it cannot be declared safe, then perhaps the operation should be halted first until the situation is truly conducive, and the mission and military operation are redefined, with clear duties and obligations for our soldiers there to what extent,” he said.
This Golkar Party politician also reiterated the importance of evaluating the presence of Indonesian peacekeeping troops in Lebanon.
“This should already be due for rotation in May; whether their numbers are gradually reduced or the operation is changed to remain within the base, or how? That is up to TNI headquarters and the Ministry of Defence to remap the tasks and operations of our soldiers in Lebanon,” he concluded.
Previously, the Ministry of Defence (Kemhan) confirmed that two TNI soldiers who were part of the Garuda Contingent Task Force (Konga) TNI in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission fell in southern Lebanon on Monday (30/3/2026).
The incident brought the number of fallen TNI soldiers to three, after one soldier was reported dead due to an Israeli attack the day before.
“In the incident, two TNI soldiers were reported fallen, while two other soldiers suffered serious injuries. The injured soldiers are currently receiving intensive medical treatment at a healthcare facility in Beirut,” said Head of Defence Information Bureau of the Kemhan Secretariat Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait in a press release on Tuesday (31/3/2026).
He added that the incident occurred amid increasing intensity of fighting in the area, and the exact cause is still being investigated by UNIFIL.
The Indonesian government through Kemhan and TNI, continued Rico, continues to coordinate with the UNIFIL headquarters to ensure the safety of all personnel and guarantee the best handling for the victims.
“Evacuation and medical handling measures have also been carried out quickly in accordance with UN operational procedures,” said Rico.