Peacekeeping Troops Sent to Lebanon, Legislator Urges Maximum Protection for Soldiers
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Nurul Arifin, responded to the government’s plan to send hundreds of peacekeeping troops to Lebanon.
Nurul emphasised the importance of the state’s readiness to ensure maximum protection for those soldiers.
The Golkar Party politician understands that this step is part of Indonesia’s tangible diplomacy on the international stage.
However, he believes the state is obliged to ensure that every soldier deployed has maximum protection and full support from the country.
“So what must be maintained is the balance between international diplomatic interests and the security of our soldiers in the field,” Nurul told Kompas.com on Wednesday (13/5/2026).
The escalation of conflict on the Israel-Lebanon border, which is increasingly high, has caused several UN peacekeeping troops to become victims of attacks.
“We note that there were TNI soldiers injured in 2024, and even the deaths of four Indonesian soldiers in an incident in Lebanon in 2026 serve as a serious alarm that the region is indeed in a very dangerous condition,” he revealed.
Nurul urged that the deployment of 744 TNI soldiers must be accompanied by a thorough evaluation of the troop protection system, readiness of military equipment, field intelligence, and emergency evacuation mitigation.
“Do not let the spirit of maintaining peace sacrifice the safety of our soldiers,” he stated.
Foreign Minister Sugiono advised the soldiers to prepare themselves and carry out their duties well, with full enthusiasm and sincerity, as they carry Indonesia’s name in the eyes of the world.
“The place where you are assigned is a place that is not peaceful at all and full of risks. That means, your abilities and skills as soldiers must be prepared and used as best as possible,” Sugiono said during the Coordination Meeting for Peacekeeping Missions on Monday (11/5/2026), quoted from a press release.