Four TNI Soldiers Fall in Lebanon, Peacekeeping Mission Security in the Spotlight

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Sergeant Major (Praka) Rico Pramudia, a TNI soldier attached to Task Force Mechanised Battalion XXIII-S of the Garuda Contingent (Satgas Yonmek XXIII-S Konga) on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission in southern Lebanon, fell on Friday (24/4/2026). Rico passed away at 10.32 local time, or 14.32 WIB, after receiving intensive treatment at St. George Hospital in Beirut. The deceased had previously sustained severe injuries after the Indonesian contingent’s assignment post in the town of Adshit al-Qusyar in southern Lebanon was hit by an artillery attack. They are Major Inf (Posthumous) Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, Staff Sergeant (Posthumous) Muhammad Nur Ichwan, Corporal (Posthumous) Farizal Rhomadhon, and Sergeant Major Rico Pramudia. Political and military analyst from the National University, Selamat Ginting, believes the government needs to review the rules of engagement (RoE) following Praka Rico Pramudia’s death as the fourth TNI soldier to fall in Lebanon. “Indonesia needs to push for a review of the rules of engagement or RoE,” said Selamat when contacted by Kompas.com on Sunday (26/4/2026). “Self-protection must not be overridden by the rigidity of the mandate,” he stressed. In addition, he emphasised that force protection must be enhanced through the use of modern equipment, early warning systems, and strengthened medical evacuation capabilities, as response speed often determines safety. Selamat also assessed that troop deployments should be based on adaptive intelligence, understanding threat patterns in real-time and strengthening coordination with contingents from other countries, so that relocation is not merely a temporary solution. According to him, withdrawing troops could indeed reduce the risk of casualties in the short term, but that step carries strategic consequences. Moreover, Indonesia has long been known as one of the major contributors to global peacekeeping forces. That presence is seen not only as a symbol of commitment to global peace but also as a diplomatic instrument that strengthens Indonesia’s position at the international level. Conversely, according to Selamat, persisting without change could place soldiers in disproportionately high risks.