Following reports of an attack on a convoy transporting the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) 850-12 contingent in Sidon, Southern Lebanon on Thursday, the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) has confirmed that all Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel in the convoy are safe.
According to MinDef, one of the buses in the convoy was struck by shrapnel from an explosion, resulting in injuries to an officer and five other ranks of the MALBATT 850-12 contingent. The injured personnel sustained only minor injuries and were treated at the scene by Lebanese medical teams.
MinDef further stated that the convoy successfully reached its destination at 11.10pm Brunei time. The ministry also urged the public to refrain from creating or spreading speculation regarding the incident.
The RBAF has been participating in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission under MALBATT since 2008.
Malaysian news agency Bernama reported that the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) confirmed the injuries, noting that the explosion took place at 1.54pm local time (7.54pm Malaysian time) as the MALBATT 850-12 team was en route from Beirut to Marakah Camp. The MAF’s statement indicated that the explosion targeted a civilian vehicle headed to Beirut but also affected a bus carrying MALBATT personnel.
“The incident left six members of MALBATT injured, including five MALBATT 850-12 personnel who suffered various minor injuries, with one member sustaining a suspected closed fracture to the left arm. Another member from MALBATT 850-11 also sustained minor injuries,” the statement said.
The first phase of the deployment of the 220-strong MALBATT 850-12 team began on Thursday and will proceed in stages until November 18 as part of their peacekeeping mission.
