Vehicle driven by Private Seán Rooney was hit by 27 shots from numerous locations
Ian Begley
The vehicle driven by Private Seán Rooney was hit by 27 direct shots from numerous locations with at least three gunmen involved, according to a Lebanese security report.
Three separate investigations by the UN, the Defence Forces and the Lebanese government are under way, in a bid to establish the facts around last Wednesday's ambush.
The 24-year-old Donegal native was murdered in Al- Aqbieh during a routine journey to Beirut airport, while serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).
The vehicle driven by Private Seán Rooney was hit by 27 direct shots from numerous locations with at least three gunmen involved, according to a Lebanese security report. Pic: Óglaigh na hÉireann
Pte Rooney died after being shot when the armoured vehicle he was in, which had been separated from a convoy, came under attack and turned over.
According to the Nidaa al- Watan newspaper, a Lebanese security report found that 27 gunshots were fired from several directions at the vehicle, suggesting the involvement of at least three gunmen.
There are also fears that the young soldier's killers may have fled to Syria.
Three separate investigations by the UN, the Defence Forces and the Lebanese government are under way, in a bid to establish the facts around last Wednesday's ambush. Pic: Chine Nouvelle/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock
Following the report's findings, Lebanese officials reached out to Hezbollah leadership, allegedly telling them that 'the issue has become embarrassing' to the United Nations and the international community.
The militant group previously described the murder as an 'unintentional incident' and denied any involvement.
The local publication states that a senior security official in Hezbollah recently met with Unifil, via Zoom, to discuss last week's incident.
A Hezbollah security official reaffirmed that the party 'is keen' on its relationship with Unifil and had 'nothing to do' with what happened in Al- Aqbieh last Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Donegal native was murdered in Al- Aqbieh during a routine journey to Beirut airport, while serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil). Pic: Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images
A Unifil representative responded: 'If you are not directly responsible for the incident, you are responsible for aggravating the people's negative attitudes towards us in the south.'
Witnesses to the incident have claimed villagers in the Al- Aqbieh area blocked Pte Rooney's vehicle after it took a road along the Mediterranean coast, not normally used by the United Nations force.
Reports suggest that the peacekeeper's convoy may have been targeted in an attempt to deter the UN from patrolling villages where Hezbollah stashes weapons.
Three other Irish peacekeepers were injured in the attack, including Trooper Shane Kearney, 22, who remains in a critical but stable condition.
Three other Irish peacekeepers were injured in the attack, including Trooper Shane Kearney, 22, who remains in a critical but stable condition. Pic: Óglaigh na hÉireann
Mr Kearney's girlfriend, Joanne Padden, has recently appealed to the public for their good wishes.
'Keep our beautiful Shane in your thoughts and prayers,' she wrote on social media with accompanying pictures.
Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney has said the news is 'more optimistic' on Trooper Kearney's condition.
Speaking on RTÉ's The Week In Politics at the weekend, the former foreign affairs minister said the soldier is breathing independently and his head injuries are being managed.
The body of Private Seán Rooney arriving at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnell, after being repatriated from Lebanon. Pic: Tom Honan/PA Wire
Meanwhile, speaking at Pte Rooney's repatriation ceremony on Sunday, Lebanese army general Pierre Saab said all of his security agencies will do their best to find the truth.
He warned anyone who proves to be an aggressor against Unifil - which is rejected by the Lebanese people - 'will be punished'.
The Irish Defence Forces' investigation consists of a team of three Military Police and a lawyer from Dublin, as well as a specialised group from An Garda Síochána.
The Garda delegation includes a detective superintendent and a detective inspector from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation as well as a detective sergeant from the Garda Technical Bureau, who is a ballistics expert.
Speaking at Pte Rooney's repatriation ceremony on Sunday, Lebanese army general Pierre Saab said all of his security agencies will do their best to find the truth. Pic: Abbas Salman/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
A Garda spokesman said the delegation will also liaise with local law enforcement, and other agencies.
Lebanese minister for defence Maurice Sleem visited the Irish UN headquarters yesterday to offer his condolences to Irish commander Lt Col Damien Murphy and Unifil head Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz.
On Sunday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said it is important to understand the circumstances of the attack. He said: 'I would have confidence in those investigations to find out exactly what happened, why an Irish soldier lost his life and another was severely injured.
'It's also important that we avoid any speculation, I think, at this point until those investigations are done.
'But the main thing, I think, this week really is to stand with and express our condolences to Private Rooney's family, his friends and colleagues, because it's been a long time since we lost a soldier in combat in Lebanon. But it does remind us how important that mission is.'
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