their fifteenth mission. This was not well received by the Indonesian populace, who wished that the soldiers took a more active, military role. This was followed by a deployment to Georgia and a 15-man deployment to Mozambique in 1994. That same year, they were also deployed to the Philippines under the command of Brigadier General Asmardi Arbi (later replaced by Brigadier General Kivlan Zein) to help deal with the conflict between the Moro National Liberation Front and the Philippine government. In November 1997, Garuda Contingent XVIII consisted of eight TNI officers deployed to Tajikistan, under the command of Major Can Suyatno. Less than two years later, Garuda Contingent XIX deployed to Sierra Leone in 1999, remaining until 2002. XIX-1 comprised ten TNI officers led by Lt Col K. Dwi Pujianto. KONGA XIX-2 also included ten officers, led by Lt Col PSK Amarullah. KONGA XIX-3's ten officers were led by Lt Col (P) Dwi Wahyu Aguk. The final element in Sierra Leone, KONGA XIX-4, also included ten officers, led by Major CZI Benny Oktaviar MDA, who was mission tasked as an observer. In 2003, the Garuda Contingent XX-A deployed on its twentieth mission, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. A total of 171 troops deployed originally, including 32 medical staff and 28 marines. They were deployed with peacekeepers from Nepal, India, and Bangladesh, with the peacekeeping mission being led by France. As of 2009, the focus had shifted to infrastructure, and a seventh contingent had been deployed. The Garuda Contingent was part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. In August 2010, two of its soldiers were criticised after they escaped from clashes between Israel and Lebanon by fleeing in a taxi. Deployments References Footnotes Bibliography Government agencies established in 1956 Military of Indonesia Military operations other than war Peacekeeping Lebanon and the United Nations Lebanon