KUALA LUMPUR: Six Malaysian Battalion 850 (Malbatt 850) personnel under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) were injured in a drone strike near Sidon, Lebanon.
The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), in a statement, said that five personnel from Malbatt 850-12 sustained minor injuries, with one member suffering a fracture on the left arm.
Another serviceman from Malbatt 850-11 also sustained minor injuries.
The MAF said the incident occurred at 7.54pm Malaysian time near Saida Stadium, Lebanon. The Malbatt 850-12 personnel were on their way from Beirut to Marakah Camp when the attack happened.
"The target was another civilian vehicle en route to Beirut, but the blast caused damage to a bus carrying Malbatt 850-12 personnel," it said.
The MAF emphasised its commitment to closely monitoring developments and will provide updates as necessary. It added that it remains committed to safeguarding the well-being of its personnel in carrying out the peacekeeping mission under the United Nations (UN).
Earlier, Unifil, in a statement, said a convoy ferrying peacekeepers who had just arrived in Lebanon to begin their deployment was hit in an Israeli Defence Force (IDF) drone strike.
The convoy was on its way to southern Lebanon and was passing through Sidon when the attack occurred. Unifil said the injured were treated by the Lebanese Red Cross.
Yesterday, Malaysia sent its first batch of Malbatt 850-12 peacekeepers, consisting of 220 officers and enlisted personnel, led by Colonel Johan Effendi Mohd Shalleh.
Malbatt 850-12 comprises 854 personnel, including 82 officers and 772 enlisted, with an additional three officers and 27 personnel from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, and a civilian financial officer from the Defence Ministry.
The deployment follows the return of the Malbatt 850-11 contingent, which completed its tour of duty there.