Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Despite a recent Israeli attack on a UN observation post in Lebanon, Indonesia remains committed to sending 120 of its soldiers to join the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as peacekeepers. The troops, part of the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), will be deployed to the Maritime Task Force (MTF) as part of the Garuda Contingent XXVIII-P/UNIFIL in 2025.
As reported by ANTARA on October 11, First Admiral I Made Wira Hady Arsanta, Chief of the Indonesian Navy Information Office (Kadispenal), confirmed that the Indonesian peacekeeping contingent is currently undergoing rigorous training. Rear Admiral Yayan Sofiyan, Assistant Operations Chief of Staff for the Indonesian Navy, is directly overseeing the preparation of these soldiers in Surabaya.
“Continuous training and skill refinement are essential to prepare for the evolving challenges of peacekeeping missions. We need a professional, reliable, and modern Navy to tackle increasingly complex assignments,” said Sofiyan.
The task force consists of personnel with diverse expertise, including warship escorts, aviation officers, intelligence officers, psychological and health officers, elite forces from the Navy’s Frogman Command (Kopaska), and professional divers.
These soldiers will sail aboard the KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda-367, departing for Beirut, Lebanon, in December 2024. Their journey will begin at the Navy’s Fleet Command II Headquarters, with stops in Jakarta, Batam, Sri Lanka, Oman, and Egypt before reaching their final destination.
The Indonesia peacekeepers contingent will be led by Lieutenant Colonel (Navy) Anugerah Annurullah and will replace the Garuda Contingent XXVIII-O/UNIFIL, currently deployed with KRI Diponegoro-365 in Beirut.
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In addition to its contribution to the MTF, Indonesia has also sent troops to other UNIFIL units. These include the Mechanized Battalion Task Force (INDOBATT), the Force Headquarters Support Unit (FHQSU), the Indo Force Protection Company (FPC), the Civil-Military Coordination Task Force (CIMIC), the Military Community Outreach Unit (MCOU), and the Level 2 Hospital Task Force.
The Israeli attack, which occurred on Thursday, October 10, targeted a watchtower at UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, Lebanon, injuring two Indonesian soldiers. Despite the attack, Indonesia’s commitment to peacekeeping operations remains steadfast.
(Raidi/Agung)
