Indonesian soldiers take part in the funeral of fallen compatriot and UN peacekeeper Farizal Rhomadhon at the Giripeni Heroes' Cemetery in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta on Apr 5, 2026. Farizal was one of three Indonesian soldiers killed while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war. (Photo: AFP/Devi Rahman)

UN probe: Israeli fire, Hezbollah IED killed Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon

An Indonesian peacekeeper was killed on Mar 29 when a projectile exploded near a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) position. The next day, two other soldiers were killed by an explosion that destroyed their vehicle.

08 Apr 2026, 08:05 · CNA · Join

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Three Indonesian UN peacekeepers who died in Lebanon in March were likely killed by Israeli tank fire in one incident and by a Hezbollah improvised explosive device in another, according to a United Nations probe shared on Tuesday (Apr 7).

"We have requested with the relevant parties that the cases be investigated and prosecuted by national authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure criminal accountability for crimes against peacekeepers," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, told reporters.

Indonesian peacekeeper Farizal Rhomadhon, 28, was killed on Mar 29 when a projectile exploded near a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) position.

In his case, the investigation indicates "the projectile was a 120 mm tank main armament round, fired by an Israel Defense Forces Merkava tank from the east," Dujarric said.

He added that UNIFIL had communicated the location of all its positions and installations to the Israeli military twice in the days before the incident.

The March 30 explosion was caused by an IED, Dujarric said. Indonesian UNIFIL peacekeepers Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, 33, and Muhammad Nur Ichwan, 26, were killed in the explosion, which destroyed their vehicle. Two other Indonesian soldiers were injured, one seriously.

"The investigation has assessed that, given the location of the incident, the nature of the explosion, and the current context, the IED was most likely placed by Hezbollah," Dujarric said.

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Fafa Nur Aziila, the widow of fallen Indonesian soldier and UN peacekeeper Farizal Rhomadhon, cries over his grave as family members scatter flower petals during his funeral at the Giripeni Heroes' Cemetery in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, on Apr 5, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Devi Rahman)

UNIFIL has served as a peacekeeping force between Israel and Lebanon since 1978 but now finds itself caught in the crossfire between the Israeli army and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Indonesia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it had received the preliminary findings from the UN.

"The government of Indonesia has urged all relevant parties to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators, and to ensure accountability for the crimes committed against peacekeeping personnel," ministry official Veronica Vicka Ancilla Rompis told reporters in Jakarta.

She said Israel's ongoing military operations in south Lebanon "will continue to endanger peacekeeping personnel".

"All actions that endanger peacekeeping personnel constitute a serious violation of international law and must not be allowed to continue," added Vicka.

The Indonesian government has sent a letter to the President of the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary-General expressing strong condemnation of the repeated attacks on Indonesian peacekeepers, according to Vicka.

The government also urged the Security Council to ease tensions among all parties, including Israel, to prevent a broader open conflict, news outlet Kompas reported.

Asked whether Indonesia was considering a halt to peacekeeper deployments in Lebanon, ministry spokeswoman Yvonne Mewengkang said: "Every decision we make related to this issue will go through very, very careful consideration".

The three Indonesian soldiers were buried in their hometowns on Sunday.

Zulmi was buried in a military cemetery in his hometown in Bandung, West Java, while Ichwan and Farizal were laid to rest in their respective hometowns in Central Java and Yogyakarta.

Their coffins were draped in the Indonesian flag during the military funerals with gun salutes.

On the same day, thousands of people gathered outside the United States Embassy in Jakarta in a demonstration organised by the Council of Islamic Organisations.

They were seen carrying Palestinian and Indonesian flags, news outlet Jakarta Globe reported.

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