The Indonesian National Armed Forces deploy 744 Garuda Contingent troops to Lebanon
The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) dispatched 744 personnel to Lebanon on Friday, 22 May 2026 to join the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission. The deployment ceremony for the Satgas TNI Konga UNIFIL for Fiscal Year 2026 took place at Lapangan Prima Mabes TNI, Cilangkap, East Jakarta, led by the Commander-in-Chief of the TNI, General Agus Subiyanto.
Head of the TNI Information Service, Air Force Major General I Nyoman Suadnyana, said that during the briefing Agus Subiyanto stated that Indonesia’s participation in world peacekeeping missions is a manifestation of international confidence in the professionalism of Indonesian soldiers. He also urged all personnel to uphold Indonesia’s name and the Garuda Task Force while on duty, to adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs), to heighten vigilance regarding developing situation, and to safeguard morale and health during deployment.
The 744 personnel dispatched to the mission area in Lebanon today comprise a cross-service contingent: 571 soldiers from the Army, 79 personnel from the Navy, 63 from the Air Force, and 31 from the TNI Headquarters. Previously, Indonesia’s participation in UNIFIL drew attention after three Indonesian soldiers were killed in fighting between Israel and Hizbullah, culminating in late March 2026. Some parties had proposed the option of withdrawing troops due to increasing security risks.
Head of Defence Ministry Defence Information Bureau Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo said Indonesia’s presence in Lebanon is part of a commitment to world peace under a UN mandate and therefore cannot be unilaterally withdrawn from the force. He added that the deployment is carried out alongside ongoing evaluations of the increased risks faced by peacekeeping missions in Lebanon. He said safety aspects for personnel remain the top priority in every deployment and rotation.
“Following the earlier incident, mitigation steps have been strengthened through improved vigilance, SOP evaluations, and more intensive coordination with UNIFIL command or other contributing nations,” Rico said on Thursday, 14 May 2026.