South lebanon: Members of the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) 850-13 in southern Lebanon have been instructed not to carry out any operational movements for the time being as a precautionary measure following the current security developments. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin stated that this directive aligns with instructions from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) headquarters.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the suspension of movements comes in response to two separate incidents within 24 hours involving UNIFIL peacekeepers. These incidents included a projectile explosion near Adchit Al Qusayr and an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion that resulted in the deaths of three UN peacekeepers from Indonesia. The incidents have also caused injuries to several other peacekeepers.

Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. He emphasized that any attack on peacekeepers constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. He further mentioned that security measures have been heightened for all contingents in the mission area in response to the current situation in southern Lebanon.

The enhanced security measures include continued adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), strengthening the implementation of Rules of Engagement (ROE), temporary cessation of patrol movements, increased Force Protection measures, and ongoing assessment of the situation. Mohamed Khaled confirmed that all members of MALBATT 850-13 are safe, and their safety remains the government's top priority. Assignments and movements are conducted cautiously based on the assessment of the current situation and UNIFIL operational instructions.