The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) held a moving memorial service at Rafic Hariri International Airport, to honor three Indonesian peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving in southern Lebanon.
The ceremony was attended by the Commander of the UNIFIL Mission, Major General Deodato Abanyara, and the Deputy Special Coordinator of the United Nations in Lebanon, Imran Reda, in addition to official representatives from the Lebanese government and the Indonesian ambassador.
During the ceremony, the three soldiers were awarded medals of appreciation from the United Nations and the Lebanese Army for their dedication to their duty: Major Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, Staff Sergeant Muhammad Nour Ishwan, and Corporal Ferizal Romadon.
Abanyara praised their sacrifices, saying: “They came to serve peace and carried out their mission courageously until the last moment,” and offered his deep condolences to their families and the Indonesian Armed Forces.
Available information indicates that Corporal “Roumadon” was killed on March 29 as a result of a shell explosion inside a UNIFIL site near Adshit al-Qusayr. While “Iskandar” and “Ishwan” were martyred on March 30 following the explosion of an explosive device targeting their vehicle near Beni Hayyan, which also led to the injury of a number of other soldiers.
Investigations into the circumstances of the two incidents began amid a widespread international condemnation. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, condemned these attacks and called for the necessity of respecting international law and ensuring the safety of peacekeeping forces.
The members of the Security Council also expressed their strong condemnation of these actions, affirming their full support for UNIFIL, and calling on all parties to take all necessary measures to protect its members and ensure their freedom of movement.
These unfortunate events come in light of the escalation of tension in southern Lebanon, where areas where UNIFIL forces are deployed are exposed to increasing risks, which raises serious international concern about the safety of peacekeepers and the continuation of their missions in light of these deteriorating security conditions.
