MINDEF to liaise with UN on Malaysian peacekeepers security

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will liaise with the United Nations (UN) to ensure the security of Malaysian peacekeeping personnel.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said MINDEF would ensure that Malaysian peacekeepers were in good condition and worked in accordance with their assigned mandate.

He added that the ministry will also continue closely monitoring Lebanon’s latest developments.

“The next course of action will be decided by the government after discussions with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the UN,“ he said in a statement here today.

Mohamed Khaled said the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) 850-11 was involved under the banner and mandate of the UN, and its duties and responsibilities were subject to the protocols and regulations set by UNIFIL.

“Israel must respect the mandate and not drag UNIFIL into the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict scene. An attack on UNIFIL members is an attack on the UN and the world community. It is an act that violates all norms of international law and is very uncivilised,“ he said.

He said MINDEF would comply with all stipulations and decisions made by UNIFIL and the UN about the peacekeeping mission’s further role in Lebanon.

It has been reported that since Sept 23, the Israeli military has undertaken an unprecedented large-scale air strike on Lebanon in an escalating conflict with Hezbollah.

The attacks resulted in the deaths of at least 1,488 people, injured more than 4,297 others and left over 1.34 million people homeless.