A high-ranking Unifil officer and member of the Defence Forces has confirmed Irish troops performing peacekeeping responsibilities in Lebanon plan to continue their operations even amidst potential Israeli invasions in the upcoming weeks. Lt Col Seán Ó Fátharta, communicating from southern Lebanon to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on Monday, indicated while there are plans in place for UN troops’ safety should the situation become precarious, the aim is for the team to stay put and persist with their monitoring and humanitarian efforts.
There are currently approximately 375 individuals, forming an Infantry Battalion and additional personnel, deployed at Unifil’s headquarters in Naqoura and Shama, near Israel’s border in Lebanon’s southern region. The Defence Forces have been participants in the United Nations Interim Force Lebanon (Unifil) since 1978 and have a minor role in other missions as well.
The Irish military personnel are stationed at two UN outposts along the Blue Line, the established boundary separating Israel and Lebanon, where they cooperate closely with Polish associates.
Regarding the area’s volatile circumstances, Lt Col Ó Fátharta acknowledged the danger, but stressed the precautions being taken to maintain the safety of their troops. He mentioned that patrols had been carried out sparingly when the chances arose, and supply replenishments have been possible. However, he also admitted there have been complications.
Lt Col Ó Fátharta revealed that about 90,000 local civilians had evacuated the area, fleeing north due to increasing bombardments and growing concerns of large scale invasion. Should this situation escalate, UN troops intend to remain as long as feasibly possible.
The officer emphasized, “We are not contemplating relocating. Our mandate is the UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which Lebanon and Israel are committed to, and which was recently renewed.”
While we do hold backup plans in place, our attention remains predominantly on our mission within the UN positions. Our abilities to observe are intact and we are continually reporting violations of 1701. The choice to pull out Unifil is held at the discretion of the Security Council, but from our tactical and operational standpoint, we are firmly committed to holding our positions, taking shelter when necessary and being poised to resume operations as dictated by the state of security. Unifil has remained steadfast through the five incursions in Lebanon since 1978.