Indonesia requests UN Security Council to hold extraordinary meeting on UNIFIL

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has requested the United Nations Security Council to promptly hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss attacks against peacekeeping forces in Lebanon (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL). “The Government of the Republic of Indonesia, through our permanent representative in New York, one day after the first incident requested the UN Security Council to hold a meeting,” said Foreign Minister Sugiono at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, on Saturday. This proactive diplomatic step was taken as a firm response to the deaths of three TNI soldiers serving in the UNIFIL mission. Sugiono explained that France, as the penholder for Lebanon in the UN Security Council, has approved Indonesia’s request. The main agenda is to strongly condemn the attack that resulted in casualties. The Indonesian government strongly condemns all forms of attacks targeting personnel or facilities of UN peacekeeping forces. “The essence is, first, we strongly condemn the attack carried out against the peacekeepers, in this case UNIFIL. Then we also demand that a comprehensive investigation be conducted,” Sugiono emphasised. This demand for a comprehensive investigation was submitted to provide clarity on the cause of the incident and the responsible parties. Indonesia emphasises that the safety of international personnel must be the top priority. The three TNI soldiers who fell while carrying out the peacekeeping mission with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are Major Inf. Anumerta Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, Sergeant Major Anumerta Muhammad Nur Ichwan, and Corporal Two Anumerta Farizal Rhomadhon. All three fell while performing state duties in Lebanese territory, as part of maintaining world stability and peace under the United Nations mandate.