Elite Rangers on a mission to Lebanon
THE elite Army Ranger Wing is being sent to war-torn southern Lebanon to help protect Irish peace-keeping troops serving there, it has emerged.
The Irish Mirror has confirmed the special forces unit is among extra personnel being deployed to the next battalion of soldiers that will spend six months on United Nations’ UNIFIL mission.
A military source said last night: “The ARW will bring vital skills. They have expertise that will be of great value to the new platoon.”
The Government decided to send 33 more personnel with the 124th Infantry Battalion – which deploys next month to replace the 123rd that has been in Lebanon since November.
The 33 extra soldiers will form a Force Protection Platoon to provide extra security for the entire battalion.
The decision was made because of the increased threat to Irish soldiers serving on the UNIFIL peace mission – due to the clashes between militia group Hezbollah and Israeli Defence Forces.
Hezbollah is mounting gun, rocket and missile attacks from southern Lebanon on northern Israel as a show of solidarity with the people of besieged Gaza – and the Jewish State responds with air strikes and artillery.
ARW are experts in providing emergency medical aid to any injured soldiers. They are also adept at communications, convoy and security – as well having the most finely honed combat skills in the Defence Forces.
News of the deployment came as the Irish Mirror was yesterday given exclusive access to a special exercise conducted by soldiers from the 124
Inf Bn before deployment.
We went to the Glen of Imaal, the training area in rural Co
Wicklow, to see the battalion being put through its paces.
The exercise sees troops practising realistic scenarios they may face in
Lebanon – from casualty evacuation to using the
12.7mm heavy machine guns on their €1 million
Mowag armoured cars.
Lieut-colonel Tom
Fox, the officer commanding the 124th, said: “Our operations have been tailored to recent kinetic activity in the Middle East.
“We prepare for the worst, so we train for the worst.
“What I have observed this week, and even in the form up, has been nothing but enthusiasm, an eagerness to get into the mission and to
EAGER Cpl Alanna Rochfort is looking forward to m ission fulfil the mandate we have been charged with.” Some 92 of the 375 soldiers in the battalion are first timers – including Private Adam Higgins, 19, from Co Wicklow.
He said: “I am a bit nervous, with it happening so close after training, but I am going over with comrades and people I have trained with, so it makes me feel more at home.
“My family are seeing everything on the news and don’t know what we are going into, but they are also proud at such a young age that I am stepping up and taking this opportunity to go overseas.”
Corporal Alanna Rochfort, who served as a private in UNIFIL in 2021, is in command of a section of troops on the mission.
The Dubliner said: “I am looking after them, making sure they are where they need to be.
“I am looking forward to going over and experiencing it again. I am looking forward to seeing the place again, being in charge of patrols, navigating routes. – it is a bit of a challenge for me.
Company Sergeant Martin Devaney, from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, said: “I do enjoy it. You always gain experience.”