Six Malaysian peacekeepers injured in drone strike near Saida, Lebanon

MALAYSIA: At least six Malaysian peacekeepers were injured on 7 November in a drone strike in southern Lebanon, the United Nations and Malaysian Armed Forces have confirmed.

The incident, which took place near Saida, also injured three Lebanese soldiers stationed at a checkpoint in the area and led to the deaths of three civilians.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) stated that the peacekeepers, lightly injured during a drone strike, received treatment on site by the Lebanese Red Cross and are set to continue their peacekeeping duties.

According to UNIFIL, the organisation “reminds all actors of their obligation to avoid actions putting peacekeepers or civilians in danger.”

It added that peaceful resolutions are preferred, stating, “Differences should be resolved at the negotiating table, not through violence.”

Statement:

This afternoon, a UNIFIL convoy bringing newly-arrived peacekeepers to south Lebanon was passing Saida when a drone strike occurred nearby.

— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) November 7, 2024

Lebanese Army attributes the drone attack to Israeli forces

While UNIFIL did not specify the assailant, the Lebanese Army identified Israel as responsible for the strike on its official X account (formerly Twitter).

“The Israeli enemy targeted a car as it passed through the Awali checkpoint,” located at Sidon’s main northern entrance, the army stated.

استهدف العدو الإسرائيلي سيارة أثناء مرورها عند حاجز الأولي – صيدا ما أدى إلى استشهاد ٣ مواطنين كانوا بداخلها، إضافة إلى إصابة ٣ عسكريين من عناصر الحاجز و٤ من عناصر الوحدة الماليزية العاملة ضمن قوة الأمم المتحدة المؤقتة في لبنان – اليونيفيل، وذلك أثناء مرور آليات تابعة للوحدة عند… pic.twitter.com/SITTmnVrYu

— الجيش اللبناني (@LebarmyOfficial) November 7, 2024

In a statement, Malaysian authorities confirmed that the strike happened on 7 November at 1:54 pm local time (7:54 pm Malaysian time).

The Malaysian peacekeepers, identified as members of the Malaysian Battalion 850-12 (MALBATT 850-12), were en route from Beirut to Marakah Camp when the explosion occurred.

The Malaysian Army confirmed that a separate civilian vehicle, travelling towards Beirut, was directly targeted, with the force of the explosion causing collateral damage to the Malaysian convoy’s bus.

The Malaysian Army elaborated that six MALBATT 850 members sustained injuries, including five members from MALBATT 850-12 who sustained mild injuries.

One individual suffered a suspected closed fracture in the left arm, while a member from MALBATT 850-11 also experienced minor injuries.

The individual with the arm injury was transported to Hamood Hospital in Saida for further treatment by a MALBATT 850-11 medical officer.

In their statement, the Malaysian Armed Forces assured the public that they will “continue to monitor this situation closely and will provide updates regarding the incident as they become available.”

The statement affirmed the military’s commitment to ensuring the “safety and well-being of its personnel while carrying out peacekeeping missions under the United Nations banner.”

The first batch of Malbatt 850-12, comprising 220 officers and enlisted personnel led by Colonel Johan Effendi Mohd Shalleh, departed from Subang Air Base on Wednesday, en route to Lebanon under Malaysia’s peacekeeping mission with the United Nations.

Malbatt 850-12 consists of 854 personnel, including 82 officers and 772 enlisted members, along with three officers and 27 personnel from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, and a civilian financial officer from Malaysia’s Defence Ministry.

This deployment follows the recent return of the Malbatt 850-11 contingent, which completed its peacekeeping duty in Lebanon.

Malaysia is one of 48 countries contributing troops to UNIFIL, tasked with monitoring the ceasefire established in southern Lebanon following the 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006.

As mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1701, UNIFIL operates between the Litani River and the Blue Line, the demarcation line with Israel, to maintain security in the area.