Irish troops Golan deployment delayed by two weeks

Ireland will send a new group of soldiers to the Golan Heights after changes to where they are to be based during service with UN, according to Minister for Defence Simon Coveney.

Speaking in Athlone's Custume Barracks where he reviewed the 46th Infantry Group today, Mr Coveney said the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force base camp had been moved from within a demilitarised zone between Israel and Syria, to a position behind the Israeli border.

Mr Coveney said the move was intended to protect the base camp from attack from Syrian militias which had threatened Filipino and Dutch soldiers in recent weeks.

Ireland currently sends troops to the area as part of the UN mission on a six month “rotation”, with the current group initially set to depart for the Golan Heights at the end of this month. However Mr Coveney said the forthcoming group would now be travelling out about two weeks late, because of recent hostilities, and would now most likely leave Ireland in the middle of October.

A detailed report on the conditions and risks facing soldiers, which Mr Coveney has been seeking, is to be given to the United Nations Security Council on Thursday of this week after which further changes to the UN mission in the area are expected.

Mr Coveney said there would have to be “a fundamental restructuring” of the mission if it was to continue and if Ireland was to continue to participate. He anticipated an announcement after Thursday’s meeting of the Security Council.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force known as UNDOF has been policing the demilitarised zone between the two countries since 1974.