Soldier killed in Lebanon named as Private Seán Rooney; Cork soldier among three injured
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The Irish soldier who was killed in an ambush by a “hostile mob” while on UN peacekeeping duty in Lebanon has been named as Private Seán Rooney.
Private Seán Rooney, 23, a native of Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, who grew up in Dundalk and whose family is steeped in military tradition, was fatally wounded after the UN jeep he was driving was attacked in a village just south of Beirut at about 9.15pm Irish time, 11.15pm local time, on Wednesday night.
Trooper Shane Kearney, 22, from Killeagh in East Cork, suffered serious injuries in the attack.
He joined the Defence Forces in October 2018 and his home Unit is 1 Cavalry Squadron in Collins Barracks Cork. He previously served overseas with the 117 Infantry Battalion.
Private Rooney was killed after he and his comrades, members of 121st Infantry Battalion, Unifil, were attacked at about 9.15pm Irish time, 11.15pm local time on Wednesday in a village just south of Beirut.
He was travelling in a convoy of two armoured utility vehicles (AUVs) carrying eight personnel from their base in southern Lebanon, northbound along the coastal highway to Beirut, when it encountered a roadblock in the Al-Aqbieh area, just outside the group’s area of operations.
Tragically, the convoy, which was on an administrative run, was escorting to the airport two soldiers who had been granted compassionate leave to return to Ireland following family bereavements.
The two white jeeps with UN markings came under small arms fire in Al-Aqbieh. One jeep managed to escape but the second jeep came under sustained fire and is believed to have crashed into a building and overturned.
Four of the soldiers were injured in the exchange and they were taken to Raee Hospital, near Sidon.
But Private Rooney was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital and another underwent surgery and is in a serious condition.
The injured solider has since been relocated to a UN-controlled hospital in Hamud.
The other two soldiers are being treated for minor injuries.
The soldiers were part of 121st Infantry Battalion, which comprises 333 Irish soldiers, that was deployed in November 2022 to South Lebanon as part of the Unifil.
A medical officer from the Battalion is still at Raee Hospital accompanying the remains of Private Rooney while arrangements are being made for the remains to be repatriated.
The remaining four personnel who were part of the convoy, and who are understood to have been travelling in a separate armoured jeep, were not injured and are safe and accounted for.
The incident occurred on a well-established ‘administrative route’ in Lebanon in a Hezbollah-controlled area.
But a senior Hezbollah official said the armed group was not involved and the party should not be "inserted" into what he described as an "unintentional incident".
Wafiq Safa told Reuters that his party offered its condolences "after the unintentional incident that took place between the residents of al-Aqbieh and individuals from the Irish unit”.
There have been reports of increasing tensions and an increasingly volatile security situation in the region involving local armed groups angered by Unifil’s presence in the region.
Meanwhile, a prayer service will take place in St John the Baptist Church in Killeagh in East Cork at 7.30pm tonight for Tpr Kearney.
Local Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor knows Tpr Kearney and played hurling with him at underage level with Killeagh GAA Club.
“He is just a great guy from a wonderful family. They are great Killeagh people who are very well known and active in the community,” he said.
The Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy said defence forces personnel would remain the body of their fallen colleague in Raee hospital, and will remain with the deceased at all times until the remains are repatriated.
He said an investigation into the incident will be multifaceted and involve UN command, Lebanese forces and Irish forces.
Lt Gen Clancy told RTÉ Radio's that serving one’s country came with "an inherent risk" and though it had been two decades since an Irish soldier had been killed on duty abroad, it was still too soon.
He said those in the 121st Battalion who had come under fire had only begun their tour of duty in November.
He also said he had spoken with the other members of the batallion on the ground who he said were "resolute" in their will to complete their mission.
More than 30,000 Irish personnel have served in Lebanon since the establishment of UNIFL in 1978.