RI may withdraw TNI soldier if UNIFIL fails to protect troops

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs considers to withdraw the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) troops from Lebanon if conditions on the ground are unfavorable and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) cannot guarantee their protection.

"If UNIFIL's mandate is no longer capable to provide protection for the peacekeeping personnel, then an early troop withdrawal is one option being considered," the ministry's head of public relations and information bureau, Brigadier General Honi Havana, said on Tuesday (May 12).

He mentioned the choice demonstrates Indonesian government's stance on the soldiers' safety as a top priority.

However, Havana believes that sending TNI troops to Lebanon remains feasible for several reasons.

First of all, the government will continue to receive the latest reports from the TNI and the Indonesian Embassy in Beirut regarding areas which are still prone to conflict.

Both TNI and Indonesian Embassy in Beirut, he added, have also prepared mitigation measures in the event of events threatening the safety of soldiers.

Second of all, the government may redeploy troops from one location to another.

"Reorganization and repositioning the troop strength with consideration of the protection effectiveness could involve vacating or moving task force posts according to the prevailing security situation," he explained.

The third factor is the government's commitment to upholding the United Nations (UN) principles of transparency and independence in investigating any incidents that threaten the security of Indonesian TNI personnel in Lebanon.

"We are committed to ensuring the accountability of responsible parties, UN protection mechanisms, and upholding international law regarding the security of peacekeepers," Havana said.

Given these factors, he believes TNI personnel serving in Lebanon will receive full support from the government and the UN. The government is set to deploy 780 Indonesian TNI personnel to the UNIFIL Garuda Contingent Task Force (Satgas Konga) at the end of May 2026. These soldiers are replacing TNI soldiers who previously served for one year in Lebanon.