KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will deploy 1,000 troops as part of a UN peacecekeeping force for southern Lebanon once a ceasefire is in place, state news agency Bernama quoted the countryÂ’s military chief as saying on Friday. The move comes a day after the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) endorsed a request from Lebanon to beef up the world bodyÂ’s peacekeeping efforts.
“We will send our troops according to the country’s requirements,” Malaysian Armed Forces Chief Mohamad Anwar Mohamad Nor said. “We are finalising preparations for the departure.” The troops will be backed by armoured vehicles, he said, adding that an advanced party would leave for Lebanon soon to plan for the assignment.
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chaired a special emergency session of select OIC members on Thursday and said Indonesia and Brunei had also agreed to send peacekeepers. Israeli offensive, now in its fourth week, has killed at least 686 people in Lebanon. |