Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Kuala Lumpur - Five soldiers of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces are among the 225 Malcon West 1 members who will replace Qatar servicemen under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) at the end of October.

Army Chief Gen Tan Sri. Muhammad Ismail Jamaluddin said that this was the first time Brunei soldiers will participate in Malaysian Military Forces' peacekeeping mission under the United Nations (UN) banner and under the command of Malcon West 1 contingent head Lt Col Adi Ridzuan Abdullah.

"I am sure they will not face any problems to fit in and complete the mission because they have undergone a three-month intensive training with our troops. Their ways and systems are almost similar with what are being practised here."

He told reporters this after the handover of Jalur Gemilang to Malcon West 1 at Camp 2 of the

Royal Armour Corps, Sunggala Camp, near here today. Present was Joint Forces Commander Lt Gen Datuk Allatif Mohd Noor.

He said the deployment of Malcon West 1 saw Malaysia having two contingents serving under Unifil besides Malcon East or Malcon who were stationed at Kaoukaba who had gone through three series of deployment since January 5, 2007.

"Malcon West will be stationed at the west part of the Lebanon-Israel border namely in Al Tyri which is located about 4km from the border compared to Malcon 3 who are on duty in Koukaba, about 8km from the border.

"Compared to Malcon who brought armoured vehicles and equipment along from here but the armoured vehicles and equipment for Malcon West 1 will be provided by the UN," he said.

Muhammad Ismail said the first group of four Malcon West 1 members would leave tomorrow, followed by an advanced group of 55 members on Oct 18 while the main group comprising 171 members on Oct 25.