UNIFIL Announces Praka Rico Died in Care After Being Injured in Lebanon Attack

ILLUSTRATION/UNIFIL/Pasqual Gorriz

JAKARTA - The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced the death of Head Soldier (Praka) Rico Pramudia, a TNI personnel who suffered serious injuries due to an attack in southern Lebanon in late March.

In a written statement on the X platform, UNIFIL said Praka Rico (31) died after being treated for almost a month in a hospital in Beirut due to his serious injuries.

"UNIFIL is concerned about the death of Praka Rico Pramudia, who was seriously injured by a projectile explosion at his headquarters in Adchit Al Qusayr on the night of March 29," UNIFIL said in a statement on the X platform, reported by ANTARA, Friday, April 24.

The UN troops expressed deep condolences to Praka Rico's family and colleagues.

UNIFIL also expressed condolences to the government and people of the Republic of Indonesia, and in particular to the Indonesian Army, which oversees Praka Rico.

Following the death of the UNIFIL personnel, the UN forces demanded that all parties carry out their obligations under international law, one of which is to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times.

"The deliberate attack on peacekeepers is a grave violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and may also constitute a war crime," the UNIFIL statement said.

With the death of Praka Rico, Indonesia has lost four TNI soldiers while serving with UNIFIL in southern Lebanon in the past month.

The TNI soldier who previously died was Praka Farizal Rhomadhon who died due to artillery attacks on March 29 in the same incident that initially injured Praka Rico.

Then on March 30, two TNI personnel, namely Captain Inf Zulmi Aditya Iskandar and Sertu Muhammad Nur Ikhwan, were killed when the convoy of troops they were guarding was attacked.

The series of attacks that occurred on March 29-30 and April 3 also caused 7 TNI soldiers to be injured, in addition to Praka Rico who had just died after being treated.

Besides Indonesia, France also lost two soldiers who served with UNIFIL amid an escalation of tensions in southern Lebanon after their patrol was attacked on April 18.

By Nabil Ihsan