An Irish soldier killed while serving with the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon has been named as Seán Rooney from Newtowncunningham.
The 23-year-old had been part of a convoy travelling to Beirut when it came under attack shortly after 9pm Irish time last night.
He had joined the Defence Forces in March 2019, and his home unit was the 27 Infantry Battalion in Dundalk.
The Defence Forces said four of those on board the convoy of two armoured vehicles carrying eight personnel, who were part of the 121st Infantry Battalion with UNIFIL, were taken to Raee Hospital, near Sidon, around 43km from Beirut.
One Irish soldier was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, while another is in a serious condition and has undergone surgery. The other two wounded soldiers are being treated for minor injuries.
The remaining four personnel from the convoy were not injured.
The Defence Forces said that the families of those involved have been informed, but added that the names are not being released at this time.
Chief of Staff of Óglaigh na hÉireann Lieutenant General Seán Clancy said: “We in Óglaigh na hÉireann are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of this tragic event and the loss of one of our peacekeepers.
“Our thoughts are with his family, his friends and his fellow peacekeepers from the 121st Infantry Battalion.
“Our thoughts are also with those who were injured last night and their families and friends.
“We have one of our medical officers currently at Raee Hospital and we will ensure that our personnel get the best possible care.
“Our focus now is to ensure the safety and continued support for all our personnel deployed in Lebanon.”
