KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian peacekeepers deployed under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) are safe after an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the incident occurred near the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-13's position.
"An airstrike by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) was reported at about 2.35am on Thursday (March 12), approximately 100 to 200m from a Malbatt control post.
"The strike was believed to have targeted a bridge crossing the Litani River.
"A follow-up strike was reported at 3.02am, which caused damage to several facilities and accommodation areas at the control post," he said in a statement on Friday (March 13).
A Malaysian officer and eight others stationed at the control post were instructed by the Malbatt Tactical Operations Centre to withdraw as a safety precaution, he said.
"The group later moved together with 12 personnel from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to a safe location, arriving safely at 4.12am local time.
"No injuries were reported among Malaysian or Lebanese troops and all weapons and equipment were accounted for and are secure.
"Medical officers conducted health checks to ensure all personnel were in good health and at a high level of operational readiness," he said.
