Palace: Government Has Not Decided to Withdraw TNI Troops from UNIFIL
The Indonesian government has affirmed that it has not made an official decision to withdraw TNI troops from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Although the situation on the ground is intensifying following incidents that resulted in casualties, the government is still prioritising coordination processes and comprehensive evaluations.
“If the question is about the withdrawal decision, it hasn’t been made yet. But with the incident that happened yesterday, the government certainly needs to coordinate,” said State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4).
The State Secretary explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) is continuously monitoring developments in the field. The evaluation includes assessments of personnel safety as well as intensive communication with Indonesia’s representatives at the United Nations (UN).
The final decision regarding the continuation of this peacekeeping mission will heavily depend on the results of the latest security situation assessment. “What we request, conveyed by our representatives at the UN, is also part of the evaluation. We’ll see the results first,” Prasetyo added.
In line with the Palace, RI Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang stated that Indonesia’s participation in UNIFIL is a solid international commitment to world peace. Therefore, troop withdrawal cannot be done hastily.
“Various decisions related to this issue, including proposals for withdrawal, need to undergo very careful consideration, both in terms of personnel safety, the relevance of the UNIFIL mandate, and Indonesia’s contribution to regional stability,” Yvonne explained during a media briefing in Jakarta.
Yvonne reminded that UNIFIL operates under the UN Security Council mandate. As a troop-contributing country (Troop Contributing Country), Indonesia continues to maintain close coordination with the UN Secretariat to ensure the safety of troops in the field.
Tensions in the region have had a real impact on the Indonesian contingent. To date, three TNI personnel have been reported killed and eight others injured due to three separate attacks while carrying out peacekeeping duties with UNIFIL in Lebanon.