BOLKIAH GARRISON, Monday, 9 October 2017 – Thirty Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel returned home safely on 07 October 2017, after a 13-month deployment serving under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The Brunei contingent, headed by Major Mohammad Azhan bin Haji Ahmad, was welcomed by Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, the Commander of RBAF, in a ceremony at the Bolkiah Garrison Gymnasium.
Also present were Captain (Retired) Dato Paduka Abd Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, RBN, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence; ; Service Commanders; Deputy Permanent Secretaries; Directors; senior officers and staff of the Ministry of Defence and RBAF, and representatives from the Malaysian High Commission.
A thanksgiving prayer ceremony was later held at the Ad-Difa Surau for the returnees. They were also joined by the Brunei Darussalam contingent that returned from Mindanao, Philippines after serving under the 13th International Monitoring Team.
On 28 August 2017, 30 RBAF personnel embedded under the Malaysian Battalion 850-5 (MALBATT 850-5) have flown to Lebanon to succeed their predecessors. Brunei Darussalam has been a part of the UNIFIL since 2008.
Prior to their return, on 5 October 2017, the RBAF personnel were also awarded medals of National Service of the United Nations (TNBB). The medals were presented by Dato Paduka Seri General Tan Sri Raja Mohd Affandi bin Raja Mohd Noor, Chief of Malaysian Armed Forces at the Army Basic Training Centre, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.
The TNBB medal recognises the personnel’s success during the UNIFIL mission from 21 September 2016 to 21 September 2017. The MALBATT 850-4 has officially handed over its duties to MALBATT 850-5.
30 ANGGOTA KONTINJEN UNIFIL SELAMAT KEMBALI KE TANAH AIR
BOLKIAH GARISON, Isnin, 9 Oktober 2017 – Seramai 30 anggota Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB) yang menyertai misi pengaman Pasukan Interim Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu di Lubnan (UNIFIL) selama 13 bulan telah kembali ke tanah air pada 7 Oktober 2017.
Anggota-anggota ABDB tersebut, yang diketuai oleh Mejar Mohammad Azhan bin Haji Ahmad, telah disambut oleh Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Mejar Jeneral Dato Paduka Seri Awang Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Pemerintah ABDB, di dalam majlis sambutan kepulangan mereka di Dewan Gerak Badan Bolkiah Garison.
Turut hadir ialah Kepten (Bersara) Dato Paduka Abd Rahman bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, TLDB, Setiausaha Tetap di Kementerian Pertahanan, Pemerintah-Pemerintah Angkatan Tentera; Timbalan-Timbalan Setiausaha Tetap; Pengarah-Pengarah; Pegawai-pegawai Kanan dan anggota-anggota dari Kementerian Pertahanan dan ABDB dan wakil Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Malaysia ke Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Majlis Doa Kesyukuran kemudian diadakan di Surau Ad-Difa, bagi anggota-anggota ABDB yang kembali ke tanah air. Turut menyertai majlis tersebut ialah kontinjen negara yang selamat kembali dari Mindanao, Filipina pada bulan September, setelah bertugas di bawah Pasukan Pemantau Antarabangsa Negara Brunei Darussalam (IMT) yang ke-13.
Pada 28 Ogos 2017, 30 anggota ABDB di bawah Batalion Malaysia 850-5 (MALBATT 850-5) telah berangkat ke Lubnan untuk menggantikan mereka yang kembali. Negara Brunei Darussalam mula menyertai misi pengaman UNIFIL pada tahun 2008.
Sebelum kepulangan mereka, pada 5 Oktober 2017, anggota ABDB tersebut juga menerima Pingat Perkhidmatan Negara Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PNBB). Pingat-pingat tersebut disampaikan oleh Dato Paduka Seri Jeneral Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi bin Raja Mohamed Noor, Panglima Angkatan Tentera Malaysia di Pusat Latihan Asas Tentera Darat, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.
Pingat PNBB itu merupakan pengiktirafan bagi kejayaan anggota tersebut semasa menjalankan misi UNIFIL dari 21 September 2016 hingga 21 September 2017. MALBATT 850-4 dengan rasminya telah menyerah tugas mereka kepada MALBATT 850-5.