Malaysian peacekeepers serving under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) have temporarily suspended patrol operations following a mortar attack that killed a Spanish peacekeeper and injured others.
The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) said all patrols were halted immediately, with security measures raised to Status Level Red, the highest alert level, as part of strengthened force protection procedures.
The attack targeted the UNP 7-2 Spanish Battalion (Spanbatt) area in the Eastern Sector on Wednesday, injuring three peacekeepers. One of them later died from his injuries the following morning.
MAF confirmed that all Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-13 personnel deployed in the area remain safe and accounted for.
It added that it had conveyed condolences to the family of the deceased peacekeeper and wished a swift recovery for those injured in the incident.
The armed forces said Joint Forces Headquarters is closely monitoring developments to ensure the safety of Malaysian personnel operating under the UN mission in the conflict zone.
MAF also stressed that any attack on peacekeeping forces, including indirect fire, constitutes a serious breach of international humanitarian law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
