Minister abandons stay due to heavy shelling in Lebanon

Heavy shelling around the Irish UNIFIL positions in south Lebanon last night forced the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, to abandon a planned overnight stay at the Irish Army headquarters in Tibnin.

Mr Smith, who arrived in Beirut yesterday for a three-day visit to Lebanon and Israel, was forced to divert by helicopter to the coastal city of Tyre, where the United Nations has a base.

Throughout yesterday, shells peppered the borders of the Irish battalion area, making travel by road or air unsafe. The firing highlighted the continuing instability in the region, where the Israeli-backed South Lebanese Army (SLA) is pitted against several armed groups backed by Syria.

Late last night, sporadic shelling continued, with Irish soldiers reporting a number of "low over" incidents. Four Lebanese civilians were reported injured in exchanges of fire earlier in the day.

Mr Smith is to raise the Government's concerns about these and recent attacks on Irish UNIFIL positions when he meets the Israeli Minister for Defence, Mr Moshe Arens, tomorrow. The Government is concerned that Israel is not doing enough to restrain the SLA, which it recruits, funds and arms. However, the Israelis says they have no control over the militia.

Tomorrow, Mr Smith will also visit Pte Ronnie Rushe, who has been in a critical condition in Rambam hospital in Haifa since he was injured in a shelling attack on an Irish observation outpost late last month.

Members of Pte Rushe's family were flown over to Israel by the Army two weeks ago and have remained at his side. Pte Rushe, from Castledaly, Boggadh, Co Offaly, who sustained injuries to his chest and stomach, has been in a coma for much of the past fortnight.

Pte William Kedian, of Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, was killed in the same attack, which was widely blamed on the SLA.

On his arrival in Beirut yesterday evening, Mr Smith was met by Maj Gen Jaher Hashan, the military commander of the city. The Minister was accompanied by the secretary general of the Department of Defence, Mr David O'Callaghan, and the chief of staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen Dave Stapleton.

If the security situation permits, Mr Smith will spend today visiting Irishbatt's area of operations. He plans to inspect a number of observations posts, including the one where Pte Kedian and Pte Rushe were attacked. He will also meet the UNIFIL force commander at UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura.