During the departure briefing, Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali touched upon the escalated armed conflict in Lebanon.
"Develop effective communication in diplomacy. Gather as much information as possible and update data as often as possible. Remember, the mission area in Lebanon is a conflict area," he reminded the task force.
He also advised the troops to conduct early detection of all potential threats that may occur during their assignment.
The task force soldiers are ambassadors of the nation, responsible for maintaining their honor, respecting local customs, and adapting quickly to the community, he added.
"Hold fast to ethics and avoid friction in any form. Prioritize the security and safety of both personnel and material, without neglecting the main task," he emphasized.
From Jakarta, KRI SIM-367 sailed for Batam. It will then head out of Indonesian waters toward Colombo in Sri Lanka and Salalah in Oman before entering Beirut via the Suez Canal and Port Said in Egypt.
In Beirut, the task force will continue the duties of the previous TNI MTF Konga XXVIII-O UNIFIL, whose duty ends in early January 2025. Each wave of the task force will serve in Lebanon for a year.
The Maritime Task Force (MTF), consisting of 120 personnel, is one of the units under the control of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Besides MTF, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) have also sent troops to other UNIFIL units, including the Mechanized Battalion Task Force (INDOBATT), Force Headquarter Support Unit (FHQSU), Indo Force Protection Company (FPC) Task Force, TNI Civilian-Military Coordination (CIMIC) Task Force, and Level 2 Hospital Task Force.
Most of the TNI soldiers serving with UNIFIL operate on land, while the MTF carries out its duties at sea.
Indonesia is the country with the most soldiers serving in peacekeeping missions with UNIFIL in Lebanon, with 1,230 personnel.
Related news: SIM-367 warship leaves Surabaya, ready to sail to Lebanon
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Translator: Genta Tenri, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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