April 11, 2026 | 11:43 am
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya has confirmed there are no plans to withdraw Indonesian National Army (TNI) troops from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission. The government had previously faced calls to evaluate its involvement following the deaths of three TNI soldiers during the assignment.
Despite the decision to stay the course, Teddy stated that the government continues to evaluate the situation in Lebanon. "There is no intention to withdraw the troops. The evaluation is ongoing, both internally and externally," Teddy remarked at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday night, April 10, 2026.
According to Teddy, Indonesia remains committed to deploying TNI personnel for global peacekeeping efforts. He noted that this position has been reinforced by TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto and Foreign Minister Sugiono.
"I think the Commander General and the Foreign Minister have been very firm regarding all of our troops who are both abroad and within the country," he remarked.
Teddy explained that the deployment of TNI troops to UNIFIL is a direct fulfillment of the constitutional mandate outlined in the preamble of the 1945 Constitution. "It has been very clearly stated in the fourth paragraph of the preamble: to maintain world order. Thus, we sent troops there to maintain peace, and we remain firm regarding the ongoing evaluations," he added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier urged the UN and Lebanese authorities to ensure that the investigation into the deaths of the three TNI soldiers is conducted transparently and comprehensively. The government has also demanded that those responsible be brought to trial without delay.
"Foreign Minister Sugiono communicated directly with the Lebanese Foreign Minister and the UN Secretary-General on March 30, 2026, to ensure a comprehensive investigation and to guarantee the full protection and safety of UNIFIL personnel," said Veronica Vicka Ancilla Rompis, Acting Director of International Security and Peace at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a press conference on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
The three fallen soldiers were identified as Praka Farizal Rhomadhon, Infantry Captain Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, and Sertu Muhammad Nur Ichwan. They were killed during artillery attacks launched by Israel at the UNIFIL headquarters on March 29 and 30, 2026.
UNIFIL held a memorial ceremony in their honor on April 2, 2026. The fallen peacekeepers were later laid in state at the VIP Room of Terminal 3 at Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Banten, following their arrival on Saturday night, April 4, 2026.
Adinda Jasmine contributed to this article.
Read: Over 60 Nations Join Indonesia to Condemn Attacks on UNIFIL
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