Local troops return after six-month deployment to South Lebanon

The final rotation of over 190 Irish troops from the 118th Infantry Battalion, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) returned home on Wednesday to Dublin Airport following a six-month deployment to South Lebanon.

A total of 341 Defence Forces personnel deployed with the 118th Infantry Battalion.

The first chalk of up to 150 personnel returned on November 10.

Drawn from many different units across the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, the majority of the 118th Infantry Battalion personnel came from the 6th Infantry Battalion based in Custume Barracks, Athlone.

The unit worked as part of a multinational battalion, comprising of Irish, Maltese, Polish and Hungarian personnel, collectively referred to as IRISHPOLBATT.

Their replacements, the 119th Infantry Battalion, have completed their deployment to Lebanon and have joined their UNIFIL colleagues in theatre.

Of the 341 soldiers, eighteen were female, 78 were travelling overseas with the Defence Forces for the first time.

Personnel from 118th Infantry Battalion represented 28 counties across Ireland; the 5 counties with the most representation were Westmeath, Kildare, Dublin, Cork and Offaly.