Indonesia receives bodies of peacekeepers killed in Israeli strikes; Pakistan demands accountability

Indonesia has received the bodies of three of its peacekeepers who were killed while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, which has spread violence to Lebanon.

The coffins arrived in Indonesia on Saturday, carried by uniformed personnel during a ceremony attended by President Prabowo Subianto. Following the ceremony, Foreign Minister Sugiono called for a thorough United Nations investigation into the deaths, stressing that peacekeeping missions should not expose soldiers to harm. “There must be a security guarantee for peacekeeping personnel,” he said.

The three soldiers, Farizal Rhomadhon, 28, Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, 33, and Muhammad Nur Ichwan, 26, were killed in separate incidents last week. Rhomadhon was killed when a projectile struck his position, while Iskandar and Ichwan died after an explosion hit a UNIFIL logistics convoy. UN sources indicated that fire from an Israeli tank was responsible for Rhomadhon’s death, according to Al Jazeera.

Family members expressed shock and grief at the deaths, saying that these were peacekeepers, not combat troops. The Indonesian government has pledged financial support for the families, and the three men are expected to be laid to rest on Sunday (today).

The Indonesian foreign ministry described the attacks as “unacceptable” and urged the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session of troop-contributing countries to review and enhance the safety of UNIFIL personnel.

PAKISTAN DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY

Pakistan strongly condemned the attacks on Indonesian peacekeepers. Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, called the incidents “a disturbing pattern and serious violations of UN Security Council resolutions and international humanitarian law.” He spoke on the need for a prompt, thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation, stating that strict accountability is essential to ensure justice and deter future attacks.

Pakistan expressed its solidarity with Indonesia, the affected families, and all UN peacekeepers serving in Lebanon, reaffirming the importance of protecting personnel committed to maintaining international peace.

The violence comes as the US-Israel war on Iran escalates in the region. Following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, Hezbollah retaliated with rocket attacks on Israel. Israel has since launched strikes and an invasion in southern Lebanon.