KUALA LUMPUR: An explosion, believed to be caused by an unidentified drone, inflicted minor damage to a facility used by Malaysian military personnel near the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) in Naqoura on Tuesday.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic) said the incident occurred at about 5.30pm Malaysian time (12.30pm local time) near the perimeter of the Unifil headquarters in southern Lebanon.
Ahead of the blast, warning sirens were activated at 5.19pm, and all military staff officers stationed at the headquarters were instructed to take shelter in bunkers following a security threat alert, he added.
“The explosion occurred about 20m from Malaysia House, a rest facility for five Malaysian armed forces officers serving as military staff officers under the Unifil headquarters.
“The facility is located about 24km from Kem Marakah, the main base of the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-13 contingent in southern Lebanon,” Mohamed Khaled said in a statement yesterday.
No injuries or fatalities were reported among Malaysian personnel or Unifil staff, as all individuals were inside bunkers when the incident occurred.
“The explosion is believed to have occurred near the headquarters perimeter fence and caused minor damage to both the exterior and interior sections of Malaysia House,” he said.
Following the blast, the area surrounding Malaysia House was temporarily sealed off to allow investigations and security inspections by Unifil authorities and related personnel, Mohamed Khaled added.
“Further assessments are being conducted to determine the extent of damage to the building’s structure and equipment, while repair works will be coordinated through the Malbatt 850-13 contingent,” he said.
Mohamed Khaled added that the Defence Ministry, through the Joint Forces Headquarters, will continue to closely monitor the security situation in the operational area and work closely with Unifil and relevant parties to ensure the safety of Malaysian personnel in Lebanon.
