Ruptly
"A solemn memorial ceremony was held in Beirut for three Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeepers killed earlier this week in southern Lebanon in two separate incidents. Footage filmed on Thursday at Rafik Hariri International Airport shows UNIFIL personnel carrying the coffins into the memorial ceremony, as military officials pay tribute to the fallen servicemen ahead of their return home. The three troops were posthumously awarded the United Nations Medal and the Lebanese Armed Forces Medal in recognition of their service and bravery. The ceremony was led by UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Diodato Abagnara, and attended by Indonesia's ambassador to Lebanon, Dicky Komar, as well as Brigadier General Firas Tarchichi, representing Lebanon's Ministry of National Defence. "Any attack against UNIFIL, regardless of its scale, is a direct attack on Lebanon's security. It is unequivocally rejected by the Lebanese people enduring the consequences of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the country," said Brigadier General Firas Tarchichi. "Their sacrifice goes far beyond one nation. It brings us together, UNIFIL and the entire United Nations peacekeeping community, in shared respect and commitment. They come here far from home, with one purpose, to serve peace. They did it with courage," added Major General Diodato Abagnara. Following the service, the remains were prepared for repatriation, with a transfer to Turkey before their final journey to Indonesia for state military burials. The three peacekeepers were killed in two separate incidents within 24 hours in southern Lebanon. Private First Class Farizal Rhomadhon, 28, was killed on March 29 when a shell landed near a mosque close to a UNIFIL post near Adchit Al-Qusayr during evening prayers. A day later, Major Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, 33, and First Sergeant Muhammad Nur Ichwan, 26, were killed when a powerful explosion destroyed their UNIFIL vehicle near Bani Hayyan while they were on a logistics escort mission. The attacks drew international reaction. Indonesia's Foreign Ministry condemned the incident, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that attacks on peacekeepers may amount to war crimes. UNIFIL said the origin of the projectile remains unknown and confirmed that an investigation is ongoing. The developments come amid escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with cross-border strikes continuing as part of the wider regional tensions. "
Go to News Site