JAKARTA: The Indonesian military will deploy more than 700 peacekeepers later this month to serve in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, less than two months after its peacekeeping soldiers were killed by Israeli attacks in the region.
Indonesia has contributed troops to UNIFIL since 2006, after the operation’s mandate was expanded by the UN Security Council following the Second Lebanon War to help the Lebanese Army keep control over the south of the country, which borders Israel.
The new batch of Indonesian soldiers, comprising at least 742 soldiers, will replace the group currently serving in the country’s Garuda Contingent and are scheduled to depart on May 22.
“As one of the largest contributors to UN Peacekeeping Missions, Indonesia continues to uphold its constitutional mandate and independent and active foreign policy in supporting world peace, including through the assignment of the Garuda Contingent Task Force to UNIFIL,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono said in a statement after participating at a coordination meeting with the soldiers earlier this week.
As of May 1 2026, UNIFIL consists of some 7,400 peacekeepers from 47 troop-contributing countries, with Indonesia contributing the largest number of personnel, with 748 soldiers.
