KUALA LUMPUR: Any decision involving the officers and members of the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) 850-11, including bringing it back, will be made by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the MALBATT team will maintain its current position in southern Lebanon, but its patrol operations are still suspended.
“We are subject to UNIFIL who will make decisions based on the level of security and threats in the operational area,“ he said when contacted today.
Mohamed Khaled also revealed that MALBATT’s officers, members, and assets are currently unaffected and in good condition.
The international media previously reported that UNIFIL confirmed its peacekeeping forces were still deployed in various locations across Lebanon, with emergency plans to be activated if needed.
The peacekeeping force’s spokesperson, Andrea Tenenti, confirmed in a statement on Saturday that the Israeli army informed UNIFIL on Sept 30 of its intention to launch a limited ground attack into Lebanon and requested the relocation of some of the force’s positions.
According to the UNIFIL website, as of Sept 2, the peacekeeping force comprises 10,058 individuals from 50 countries.
