Indonesia on Monday said that it will deploy more than 700 peacekeepers to southern Lebanon despite attacks and killings by Israel, Anadolu reports.
The deployment of 742 soldiers will be carried out as part of a rotation to replace Indonesian peacekeeping troops currently serving in Lebanon, according to Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman, reported by the state-run news agency Antara.
“I see that the troops are ready. Of course, this is a UN mission, but more importantly it is a mission for the Indonesian nation,” Dudung said.
READ: UN peacekeepers in Lebanon record over 1,296 Israeli military strikes in last 3 days
He emphasized the importance of ensuring the soldiers’ safety, maintaining Indonesia’s reputation, and carrying out their duties to the best of their ability.
Six personnel from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon have been killed in Israel’s assault on Lebanon. Four of them were Indonesian.
Despite a ceasefire announced on April 17 and extended until May 17, the Israeli army continues to conduct daily strikes in Lebanon.
Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 2,869 people, wounded 8,730 and displaced more than 1.6 million, about one-fifth of the population, according to the latest official figures.
READ: UN: Israeli shell killed Indonesian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon
