Guterres Honors the Dedication of Indian Peacekeeping Leader
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United Nations, Dec 25 (NationPress) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has honored the leadership and dedication of Brigadier Amitabh Jha, who commanded the peacekeeping force along the Syria-Israel border in complex circumstances.
Jha, who served as the acting force commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), passed away unexpectedly.
“The Secretary-General is profoundly saddened by the untimely demise of Brigadier General Amitabh Jha from India,” stated his Associate Spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay on Tuesday.
Jha “recently held the position of acting Force Commander of UNDOF during challenging conditions, following the fall of the [Bashar al-] Assad government in Syria,” she mentioned.
He became part of UNDOF in April of the previous year as the deputy force commander and was serving as its head amidst a period of unrest in the region.
Established in 1974 by the Security Council, UNDOF aims to maintain peace and oversee the ceasefire between Israel and Syria along their border, but it has been embroiled in the conflicts involving Israel and Hezbollah.
In the wake of Assad's departure from the country, Israel requested UNDOF to withdraw from its positions amidst the turmoil and has deployed its forces into the demilitarized zone, contravening Security Council resolutions.
Jha “will be remembered for his leadership and steadfast commitment to United Nations peacekeeping, including his role in MONUSCO as a military observer from 2005 to 2006,” Tremblay added.
MONUSCO is the French acronym for the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who oversees UN Peace Operations, expressed his deep sorrow over Jha's passing.
“I had the privilege of meeting him several times and was truly inspired by his dedication and professionalism,” he reflected in a post on X.
An Infantry officer, Jha commanded an Indian Army brigade in a glaciated mountainous region of India, as well as a specialized unit.
UNDOF currently comprises 201 Indian military personnel within its total strength of 1,117 multinational forces.
