Safety of Irish personnel in Afghanistan assured

MINISTER FOR Defence Willie O’Dea has “received assurances” from senior Defence Forces officers as to the safety of Irish personnel serving with a Nato-led force in Afghanistan following a recent increase in unrest and killings in the country.

On Saturday suicide bombers struck outside Nato’s Kabul headquarters, where seven Irish personnel are based, killing ten people and injuring around 100 in the city’s supposedly most secure area.

A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden car into a Nato convoy in the Afghan capital yesterday, killing at least eight people. Rockets also hit Kabul in a wave of violence two days before tomorrow’s presidential election, which the Taliban has vowed to disrupt.

Mr O’Dea was briefed yesterday by a delegation of senior military personnel led by Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Dermot Earley on the situation in Kabul, where the seven Irish are based as part of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).

The force is mandated by the United Nations and is Nato-led.

Following the briefing Mr O’Dea said that while he was satisfied the Irish troops’ security needs were being met, given the volatile situation in Kabul he and the Government would closely monitor events.

“I was anxious to receive assurances from the military that their safety and security at this particular time ahead of the elections is being closely monitored,” said Mr O’Dea

“I want to reassure the families of those personnel based in Kabul that the safety of their loved ones is my main concern right now.”

The safety of the Irish was being monitored before recent attacks at the Isaf compound but that monitoring was now a priority.

In light of the risks of the mission the Department of Defence said Irish personnel had been supplied with vehicles fitted with electronic devices that would help repel roadside bombs.

Irish troops have been serving in Afghanistan with Isaf since 2002. Mr O’Dea said the small number of Irish played a “small but significant” role in Isaf’s operations, particularly in the area of “technical expertise” concerning improvised explosive devices.

In June Mr O’Dea secured Cabinet approval for seven Irish soldiers to remain in Afghanistan for an open-ended period, subject to review by Mr O’Dea.

Because the number of troops on the mission is so small Dáil approval is not needed to sanction their deployment.

While Isaf was expanding there were no plans to increase the number of Irish personnel on the mission. Those serving in Kabul are rotated after tours of duty lasting six months.