Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On 28 January 2015, a member of the Spanish armed forces who was serving in Sector East with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was killed near Ghajar on the border with Israel. I understand that the precise cause of the peacekeeper’s death remains undetermined. UNIFIL has launched an investigation to determine the facts and circumstances of the incident. One Irish officer in UNIFIL headquarters is a member of the United Nations investigation team that is examining the incident.

Following news of the fatality, I extended my condolences to the Spanish Government, the Spanish armed forces and the family of the UN peacekeeper on his tragic loss of life. Irish personnel deployed with UNIFIL serve in Sector West and were not involved in the incident, although I understand they were only 20 km away. I have been assured that all necessary force protection measures are being implemented by the Defence Forces contingent in the UNIFIL and United Nation Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, missions in accordance with standard operating procedures. While I am fully aware that peacekeeping operations are not without risk, the safety of our troops is our priority. The Defence Forces continue to actively monitor developments in the region.

This was an incident in which rockets were fired into Israel from that part of southern Lebanon and there was a response from the Israeli side. Unfortunately, it appears that the Spanish peacekeeper was tragically killed as a result of that. However, we should wait to establish the full facts, which we will get once the investigation has been completed.

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