Six Irish soldiers caught up in air attack in Lebanon village

By Cate McCurry, PA

A United Nations patrol vehicle with six Irish soldiers on board was caught up in an air attack in a village in south Lebanon on Saturday.

Eight troops, including six Irish and two Polish, were on an armed patrol when there was a drone or air attack on a village.

Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin said none of the soldiers were injured in the attack, but damage was caused to the vehicle in which they were travelling.

Speaking in Dublin on Sunday, Mr Martin said that the incident is still under investigation and further clarity on the incident would be given later.

“Essentially about eight soldiers, two armoured vehicles, six Irish and two Polish, they were on routine patrol and there was an attack, either drone or airstrike on the village that they were patrolling through,” he said.

“They had come out, it seems, from the other end of the village. And shrapnel or whatever appears to have pierced the vehicles.

“They were safe and emerged unscathed, and are back at camp.

“I would prefer to await further investigation (from Defence Forces) to identify the source of that.

“We have ideas as to who would have made that particular attack but I would say at this stage, we will be making representations on foot of this, on the basis that both the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) and Hezbollah must fulfil their obligations to peacekeepers.

“There are thousands of peacekeepers in Lebanon to keep the peace. It’s the most noble, objective thing to do and we take the full protection of our soldiers very seriously and I have already been in touch with the (Defence Forces) chief Anthony McKenna of staff about this.

“We will be receiving further information later this afternoon, but it is a serious incident and one I am very concerned about.

“It illustrates the danger of a wider escalation of the war to Lebanon in of the danger to peacekeepers and the civil population in Lebanon.

“And it’s matter of greatest concern.”