The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris is in Athlone today as 370 Irish Soldiers prepare to deploy to Lebanon.
In their penultimate tour of duty before the UNIFIL force is wound down, soldiers representing 30 counties are preparing for their peace keeping mission.
The UNIFIL mission is due to end next year ending an Irish presence in Lebanon which goes back 5 decades.
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Security Expert and Independent Senator Tom Clonan, says the troops are deploying at a time of tension in the region:
