Irish soldier killed in Lebanon

An Irish UN peacekeeper was killed and several others were wounded after unidentified attackers opened fire on a convoy in southern Lebanon, Irish and Lebanese military officials said yesterday according to Reuters.

The news wire said a pair of armoured vehicles carrying eight Irish UNIFIL peacekeeping troops was fired at as they drove north toward Beirut on Tuesday night from the town of Al-Aqbiya.

Irish UNIFIL confirmed that one peacekeeper was killed and three were wounded but did not share further details, the report says.

“Our thoughts are also with the local civilians who may have been injured or frightened during the incident,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said in a statement.

The UNIFIL force has been present in southern Lebanon since 1978, in accordance with Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426.

In July 2006 the force expanded its presence from north of the Litani River to the border with Israel after the war that broke out between Tel Aviv and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.

The number of UNIFIL personnel and the mission’s mandate often changes according to the level of tension in southern Lebanon.

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