TNI Chief Visits Mourning Hall for Captain Zulmi Aditya
TNI Chief General Agus Subiyanto visited the mourning hall of Captain Inf Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, one of the TNI soldiers who died in an attack in southern Lebanon while carrying out a peacekeeping mission.
Agus arrived with his wife and other TNI headquarters officials. Upon reaching the mourning hall, Agus immediately met with Captain Zulmi’s family.
Agus stated that he would grant an extraordinary promotion (KPLB) to Captain Zulmi along with several other soldiers who also perished in the attack.
“The first thing is to grant KPLB to all of them,” said Agus at the mourning hall in Cimahi City on Wednesday (1/4).
In addition, Agus promised scholarships for the soldiers’ children until adulthood.
“Then, from Asabri, perhaps Rp350,000,000 will be given, and also scholarships for their children of Rp30,000,000. All their children will also be looked after until they grow up. Then, salary will be given in full for 12 months at 100%. And there is an old-age savings calculated from the date of military service,” said Agus.
Regarding the repatriation of Captain Zulmi’s body and the other fallen soldiers, Agus said it is still in process.
“We will soon arrange the return to Indonesia; it is being handled,” he said.
Agus explained the condition of several soldiers injured in the attack in Lebanon, who are currently receiving medical treatment.
“They are already in hospital, being well cared for, and we pray they all recover quickly,” he said.
In total, three TNI members on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission in Lebanon died due to an attack strongly suspected to have been launched by Israeli forces.
In the first attack, Private First Class Farizal Rhomadhon was killed by a projectile explosion near an Indonesian post in Adchit Al Qusayr village on Sunday (29/3).
Then another attack occurred, killing Captain Inf Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, Staff Sergeant Muhammad Nur Ichwan, and Private First Class Farizal Rhomadhon on Monday (30/3).
TNI Information Centre Head Major General Aulia Dwi Nasrullah explained that based on reports from the assignment area, the explosion that killed two TNI soldiers occurred while the Escort Team of B Company Task Force Yonmek XXIII-S/UNIFIL, part of the Sector East Mobile Reserve (SEMR), was escorting a Combat Support Service Unit (CSSU) convoy.
The escort was in the context of providing support from the Eastern Sector UNIFIL Headquarters United Nations Post (UNP) 7-2 to the Task Force Yonmek TNI Konga XXIII-S/UNIFIL Headquarters at UNP 7-1.
“The incident occurred amid high conflict escalation, where an explosion on the vehicle resulted in the deaths of TNI soldiers Captain Inf Zulmi Aditya Iskandar and Staff Sergeant Muhammad Nur Ichwan,” said Aulia in a written statement on Tuesday (31/3).
The incident also caused injuries to two soldiers: First Lieutenant Inf Sulthan Wirdean Maulana and Private First Class Deni Rianto.
Both have been evacuated and are receiving medical treatment at St. George Hospital in Beirut, Lebanon.
Aulia said that in carrying out the Peacekeeping Force assignment, TNI prioritises the safety of soldiers by maintaining vigilance in accordance with the UNIFIL Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
“To determine the cause of the incident, UNIFIL is currently conducting an investigation. TNI is also continuously monitoring developments in the situation and preparing contingency measures in the face of dynamics in the Lebanon mission area,” he said.