Irish troops head for Liberia
About 130 Irish peacekeeping troops will be leaving Dublin tonight for the war-torn Liberian capital Monrovia.
Some 430 soldiers are expected to be in place in the west African country by mid-December, serving as part of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
Defence forces spokesman Brian Cleary said the initial task for Irish troops was to help secure bases for a 15,000-strong contingent being deployed to the country.
Brigades from various countries including Namibia, Bangladesh, Kenya and Nigeria are expected to be working in Monrovia by next March.
“The Irish soldiers will act as pathfinders, allowing the forces to establish themselves and create their own areas of operation,” said Mr Cleary.
“They will then operate as a rapid reaction force for use in a reserve capacity to assist other brigades.”
The UN mission in Liberia is expected to last until the beginning of 2006, by which time it is hoped a democratic government will be in place.
Liberia is emerging from years of civil war following the recent reign of President Charles Taylor, in power from 1997 until last August.
During that time schools, hospitals, roads and vital infrastructure remained derelict and Taylor was indicted for bearing “the greatest responsibility” for a series of atrocities in neighbouring Sierra Leone.
Ireland is the sixth-largest provider of troops to UN peace missions and UNMIL sees the largest deployment of Irish soldiers since the Lebanon.
