Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea has begun a three-day visit to Chad during which he will visit Irish troops serving with the EU military force (Eufor).
Mr O'Dea, who is accompanied by Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Dermot Earley, decided to go ahead with the visit despite recent unrest.
Irish troops came under fire in the east of the country on Saturday as rebels attacked government troops in Goz-Beida, 40 miles from the border with Sudan's Darfur region.
The Irish Timesreported this morning that representatives of the Chadian rebel alliance have said Irish troops will not be targeted by rebels fighting to oust the country's president as they are no longer considered a hostile force.
Mr O'Dea and Lieut Gen Earley are meeting the Chadian defence minister in the capital N'Djamena today.
Tomorrow they will fly to Goz Beida to meet Irish troops and to visit refugee camps, before returning to Ireland on Wednesday.