LAST UPDATE | 21 Oct
CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND discussions between the UN and Israeli forces is ongoing ahead of the rotation of Irish peacekeepers into Lebanon, the Tánaiste has said.
Speaking in Cork this morning Micheál Martin, who is the Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs, said the priority for the government and the Defence Forces was the safety of the soldiers.
Extensive Israeli bombing raids took place across south Lebanon this morning including in key strategic villages near the historic city of Tyre. The area must be passed by any troop movements to and from the airport in Beirut along the coast road before they cross in to the hills towards the main Irish camp.
Sources have said that one option for a rotation of troops if the coast road south is blocked or too dangerous could be to move them in by ship into Tyre.
At present troops are undergoing training on military ranges in Wicklow ahead of their deployment and all indications are that they will be travelling to the region in the coming weeks.
The deployment will replace the 124th Infantry Battalion currently on Lebanon with the 125th.
Reports overnight said that fighting is continuing across the area, including in locations in Sector West where the Irish troops are based at three locations near the town of At Tiri, on the Blue Line withdrawal line near the village of Maroun el Res and at UNIFIL Headquarters on the coast at Naqoura. All three areas have seen fighting and heavy bombing.
Over the weekend Irish soldiers launched a major operation to clear a route through battle devastated towns and villages to resupply United National Post (UNP) 6-52 where Irish soldiers were marooned and at a time surrounded by Israeli tanks. The Irish troops also resupplied soldiers at the Polish manned UNP 6-50.
In the past, sources have said, UN Peacekeepers, including Irish officers, have acted as observers inside Israeli military operations rooms to prevent attacks on UN peacekeepers – it is not known if that role still exists in the current climate.
Over the weekend an Israeli military bulldozer demolished a watchtower and fencing at a post in the east of the country – the fifth such incident between UN peacekeepers and the Israel Defence Forces.
Martin explained that any operation or movement by UNIFIL troops, including the Irish resupply mission, would have extensive communication ahead of it between UN officials and the Israeli military.
“The force commander of UNIFIL and UNIFIL at the senior level, is in constant daily contact with the IDF and with the Lebanese Armed Forces in terms of force protection and safety.
“You can take it that any decision taken or any operation, there will have been prior consultation and communication in advance, in the interest of the safety of our troops,” he said.
Martin would not comment on the specifics of operations but did pay tribute to the Irish soldiers that participated in the resupply mission over the weekend.
“Safety, force protection is the number one priority, and various contingency planning occurs all of the time.
“I want to thank our troops, thank the team that managed to do that replenishment over the weekend for their fortitude and resilience, their courage and their commitment to peacekeeping, which is one of the most noblest things you can do in life.
“Likewise we think of their families, who are very anxious and worried about them. It’s very difficult for them, and we do appreciate the contribution they’re making to peacekeeping more generally, and we continue, obviously, to keep all of these issues under issue,” he added.
Meanwhile UNIFIL has said this evening that it has supplied water to the hospital and the Lebanese Red Cross centre in Tibnine.
The town is located near the Irish base Camp Shamrock and is where there is a memorial to the 48 Irish soldiers killed in the country while on peacekeeping duty.
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