KUALA LUMPUR: The recent attack on a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) patrol has not affected the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-12 currently serving under the peacekeeping mission.
Chief of Defence Forces Gen Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar said all Malaysian personnel are safe and operations are continuing as usual.
"There is nothing that has affected Malbatt, and they are currently preparing for the troop rotation process,” he told Bernama when contacted on Monday (Oct 27).
Malbatt 850-12 is scheduled to return home in stages starting in November and will be replaced by Malbatt 850-13, which includes a platoon from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.
Unifil, in a statement on Sunday (Oct 26), said one of its patrols came under attack involving grenades launched by drones and tank fire from Israeli forces near Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon.
According to the statement, an Israeli drone was seen flying over the patrol area, prompting peacekeepers to take defensive measures to neutralise the threat.
No injuries or damage were reported in the incident.
Unifil has operated in southern Lebanon since 1978 and was significantly reinforced following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. – Bernama
