ARMED Forces chief General Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman has given his assurance that the safety of the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt 850-11) peacekeepers deployed in Southern Lebanon is of paramount importance.

He said despite the bombardments by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) targeting Hizbollah's firing positions in Malbatt's area of operations, the peacekeepers are alerted in advance.

"They (IDF) always notify us. If a bombardment is imminent, they would inform Unifil first. So far, no attack has occurred without notification."

Mohammad said flexible and responsive evacuation plans had also been put in place if a withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) is needed.

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"The safety and security of peacekeepers are of the highest priority. These plans are regularly assessed and updated to ensure the best possible outcomes in high-risk situations.

"Unifil has developed a comprehensive evacuation plan that outlines strategies for three scenarios: permissive, semi-permissive and non-permissive conditions.

"Our troops are well prepared to execute these plans if directed by Unifil's headquarters. For the safety and security of our soldiers, specific details of these evacuation plans remain confidential and will not be disclosed to the public."

Mohammad also assured the families of the Malbatt troops that every precaution had been taken to ensure the security and successful implementation of any evacuation, if needed.

Armed forces' Joint Forces Commander, Lieutenant-General Datuk Zahani Zainal Abidin, said Malaysian peacekeepers were well trained before deployment.

He said peacekeepers underwent an eight-week joint training in Port Dickson, a military training referesher programme, which focused on peacekeeping operations, rules of engagement, behaviour and expectations.

"Additionally, they also received cultural awareness training as it is crucial to understand the local culture, ensuring they can interact more effectively with the local community.

"Due to the escalation of the conflicts in Lebanon, we emphasise mental resilience and stress management to prepare our troops. During training, we conduct scenario-based exercises, team-building activities and, of course, health and safety training."

Mohammad said following the escalation of conflict involving IDF and Hizbollah, Malaysia would not make any unilateral decision to withdraw from the peacekeeping operations.

"We operate under the mandate of the United Nations, and any decision to withdraw will be made by the UN. We will follow its directive.