JAKARTA: Two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed in an explosion in South Lebanon on Monday (Mar 30), bringing the death toll to three after another was killed in a separate incident the previous day.
They were the first deaths among the United Nations peacekeeping force in the new war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which erupted on Mar 2, Reuters reported.
The incident on Monday also injured two Indonesian soldiers “when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle” in Bani Hayyan, the United Nations (UN) said.
The explosion struck a logistics convoy in the Indonesian contingent’s operational area at around 11am local time, according to a circulated military brief confirmed by the UN sources.
It struck the first of six tactical convoy vehicles as it was about to turn, killing two soldiers and injuring two others inside the vehicle, the statement added. The convoy was on a mission to deliver logistics and transport a coffin for the soldier killed a day earlier.
The two soldiers killed on Monday are Captain Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, the company commander and member of the Indonesian army’s special forces, and First Sergeant Ikhwan, according to the military brief.
Indonesia has condemned Sunday’s artillery attack, which occurred “in the vicinity” of the Indonesian base of the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) near Adchit al-Qusayr in southern Lebanon and injured three of its soldiers.
Its Foreign Ministry said on Monday that any harm targeting peacekeepers was “unacceptable and undermines collective efforts to maintain peace and stability”.
UNIFIL said it did not know the origin of the projectile in Sunday’s incident and has launched an investigation to determine “all of the circumstances”.
UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel – an area that is at the heart of clashes between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.
The soldier who died on Sunday has been identified as Chief Private Fahrizal Romadhon, 28.
“We pay our highest respect and highest appreciation to our fallen soldiers,” said Foreign Minister Sugiono on Monday on the sidelines of President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Tokyo. Sugiono reiterated Indonesia’s condemnation of Israel’s attacks in southern Lebanon.
In a social media post on X on Tuesday, he called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting and “for a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation” into the “heinous attack” after speaking with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/two-more-indonesian-peacekeepers-killed-in-lebanon-bringing-total-three-6027966
