Ankara: Trkiye and four other nations have condemned 'in the strongest terms' the recent killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), as per a joint statement shared by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

According to Anadolu Agency, the statement was released by MIKTA, a partnership consisting of Trkiye, Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, and Australia. The alliance declared that attacks on UN personnel are 'unacceptable and violate international law, particularly international humanitarian law.' The MIKTA foreign ministers expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to Indonesia, and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.

The members of MIKTA affirmed their solidarity with Indonesia and fully supported its call for an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation of the attacks. The statement emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, as reiterated by the MIKTA foreign ministers who are signatories to the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.

The incident occurred amidst escalating tensions as Israel has been conducting airstrikes and a ground offensive in southern Lebanon following a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2. Lebanese authorities reported that at least 1,422 people have been killed and 3,294 injured in Israeli attacks since then.

The escalation has been further complicated by a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has resulted in more than 1,340 deaths since February 28. In retaliation, Iran has launched drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and US bases in Gulf countries.