By IINA
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia has dispatched a new batch of military personnel to Lebanon to join a 360-strong force serving with a multi-national peace-keeping force in the south of the country that neighbors Israel. Defense Forces Joint Commander Maj. Gen. Allatif Mohamed Noor said the batch, comprising ten women soldiers, would replace fellow female troops, expected to fly back home tomorrow, Bernama reported. A Malaysian force is currently serving in South Lebanon. It is code-named Malcon II and comprises 160 Quick Reaction Force personnel and 200-member defense corps, according to the Malaysian news agency.
Kuala Lumpur had deployed the Malcon I force in the south of Lebanon on January 22, 2007, and pulled it back last October. Malaysia had expressed desire to take part in the international peace-keeping force in southern Lebanon after the Israeli Army and the Lebanese Hezbollah organization engaged in a wide-scale war that inflicted heavy damage in the south of the country two years ago. Malaysia has taken part in several peacekeeping missions throughout the world, including East Timor.