Kota Tinggi:All members of the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) currently serving in Lebanon are set to start returning home in January 2027 after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate concludes at the end of this year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that the withdrawal process would be conducted in stages through several flights, with military assets expected to be shipped back starting January 17. He confirmed that all battalions in Lebanon are on schedule to complete their deployments by the end of December, aligning with the mission's mandate expiration.

In a related statement, Mohamed Khaled, who is also the Kota Tinggi Member of Parliament, expressed Malaysia's willingness to engage in a new peacekeeping mission in Lebanon if requested by the United Nations. However, he emphasized that such participation would depend on the UN's decision and mandate, highlighting that Malaysia will only partake in operations under a UN mandate.

During a press conference at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kota Tinggi Muslim Orphanage, the minister noted that discussions during his recent visit to Lebanon included the country's security situation, which remains unstable and threatened by various factors. He also mentioned that a UN conference is ongoing, with several participating countries advocating for a review of the mission's termination.

Reflecting on the history of Malaysia's involvement in Lebanon, Mohamed Khaled recalled that Malaysian military efforts began on a smaller scale in 2007 before expanding to a full battalion deployment approved by the UN in 2013.