TNI Dispatch 241 Soldiers to Lebanon

Jakarta - Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI) have dispatched at least 241 soldiers to Lebanon, under the Garuda Contingent (Konga), as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission for 2012-13. "The soldiers were dispatched on rented airplanes from UN. The latest airplane, whose flight number is A 330-200 JY-JAJ, took off from Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in Jakarta on Sunday (December 2) and will land in Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon," Information Officer of Konga XXIII-G/UNIFIL Task Force, First Lieutenant Sus Sundoko, said in a text message received here on Monday. The Indonesian contingent consists of personnel from TNI Mechanic Battalion of Konga XXIII-G, Military Police Unit (MPU) of Konga XXV-E, Force Protection Company (FPC) of Konga XXVI-E2, Force Headquarter Support Unit (FQSU) of Konga XXVI-E1, CIMIC TNI Konga XXXI-C, Military Community Outreach Unit (MCOU) Konga XXX-C, and Level 2 Hospital XXIX-E and Milstaf Seceast. Commander of Mechanic Battalion Task Force (Yonmek) TNI Konga XXIII-G/UNIFIL Major Infantry Lucky Avianto instructed his personnel to follow security regulations during the flight. "To all personnel, please obey all the flight safety regulations," Avianto said. The Logistics Division Chief of Yonmek KONGA XXIII-G/UNIFIL, Captain Kal Uji Siagani, oversaw the weighing of the soldiers¿ luggage, while Pasipers Chief Captain Adm Sidik Purnomo examined their passports and vaccine cards on Saturday (December 1). The Chief of Intelligence, Captain Mar Alim Firdaus, called on the troops to follow the flight regulations and observe the necessary restrictions during their journey ¿in order to avoid undesirable situations¿. The total number of TNI soldiers to be stationed in Lebanon during the 2012-13 period is 1,169. The deployment of the soldiers, however, will be done in five stages. (*)