This is the moment Irish soldiers heading to Lebanon practised fighting their way out of an ambush – just like the attack that cost hero Private Seán Rooney his life.
These exclusive Mirror images show personnel from the 122 Infantry Battalion – which goes to Lebanon next month - coming under simulated attack in Toyota armoured utility vehicles identical to the vehicle Pte Rooney (23) was driving when he was shot dead last December.
In the exercise, which we were given exclusive access to yesterday, two Toyota AUVs are ambushed on a routine patrol and the soldiers inside have to take on their attackers using their Steyr assault rifles as they try to escape the trap.
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The 122 Battalion takes over from Donegal-born Pte Rooney’s unit in May and its most senior officer yesterday told us that his murder has had an impact on the 340 soldiers heading out under his command.
"Every time we deploy we are aware," Cork-born Lieutenant-Colonel Cathal Keohane told us at the Defence Forces’ training area at the Glen of Imaal in rural Co Wicklow.
"We have lost personnel on a number of missions and each of them is unique and unfortunate.
"It is fair to say, though, that we are more conscious given the circumstances, given how recently (the killing of Pte Rooney) has occurred, of the threats.
"It has provided maybe a renewed focus on the basics of soldiering which are there to mitigate against any of the risks that we will face."
The battalion takes over from Pte Rooney’s unit next month and is now holding its final training scheme – called a Mission Readiness Exercise – at the Glen of Imaal to practise every scenario they may face in their six month peace mission with the United Nations.
That includes escaping ambushes on routine patrols – but also bringing in their €1 million apiece Mowag armoured personnel carriers to rain down fire on attackers using their 12.7mm heavy machine guns.
Lt-Col Keohane, who has previously served as an officer in an Irish battalion in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) told us that he believed his battalion was aware of the possible threats facing them there but were trained and equipped to deal with them all.
He told us: "We are here for the next two weeks to make sure we are at the optimal operational readiness to deal with any threats or issues we may have.
"This is one of the greatest challenges of any soldier’s career to deploy on operational deployment with the Defence Forces.
"We deploy to Lebanon at a time where there are significant challenges but this is what we signed up for.
"It is a peacekeeping mission, in order for there to be a peacekeeping mission, there has been a conflict, so we are prepared to deal with any eventuality that we may face out there and that is the primary focus of our training."
And he admitted that the murder of Pte Rooney - murdered in the village of Al- Aqbiya in December - was a topic of discussion for his soldiers.
Cork-born Trooper Shane Kearney (22) survived the attack, but suffered serious head injuries and is now recuperating back in Ireland.
Lebanese authorities have now charged seven men over the ambush of the United Nations jeep Private Rooney was driving.
Lt-Col Keohane told us: "Private Sean Rooney’s loss deeply affected everyone who wears the uniform, everybody in the Defence Forces and our extended families.
"It is a subject of conversation. It is used to guide our unit ethos about challenging ourselves to do our best.
"It is used to guide our unit ethos with regard to doing the next right thing in all circumstances – in stressful circumstances and also to guide our ethical decision making while we are deployed."
And he also said Pte Rooney’s colleagues in the 121 Battalion had provided them with vital information to help them in their operation – even though they were mourning his loss.
"Our preparation for this has been guided by the information that we have got from the 121 Battalion and we are deeply indebted to them for their professionalism with regard to continuing the mission," he said.
Lt-Col Keohane also said the situation in southern Lebanon, where the Irish have been based on and off since 1978, could change at any moment – and his soldiers would be on constant alert.
He said: "Any of us who have deployed to Lebanon understand that the operational environment can flip in a second.
"It is an operational deployment and every move that we make is an operational movement and carries associated risks.
"We train to mitigate those risks and what is going on here today is an example of that.
"There are military tactics, techniques and procedures that we go through for every movement and those will be rigorously applied to ensure force protection, the safety and security of every personnel.
"We have always trained and prepared effectively, we have a renewed focus in this unit on the basics, on risk mitigation, on techniques which will avoid circumstances like that, on techniques which enable us to react to circumstances that might arise, and techniques that will enable us afterwards to extract from any circumstances that may have arisen."
Among the soldiers under his command on the six-month mission are Private Ross Slattery from Co Kildare – and his officer brother Lieutenant Dean Slattery.
Ross told us: "I’m looking forward to it."
It is his second mission to Lebanon – and he said he lived serving there previously.
He said: "The south Lebanese are great people to deal with."
But he added that he was stunned by the murder of Private Rooney.
He said: "It hit hard. It was surprising because (of) the relationship with the south Lebanese people that I experienced when I was there in 2014 - the respect that they have for the Irish and vice versa.
"My experience there from 2014 is what I am heavily relying on.
"And that is where my peace of mind comes from because having dealt with the south Lebanese people in 2014 and being out on patrol a good bit as a rifleman back then, my experience is only good with them."
And another soldier on the battalion – Shannon, Co Clare born Private Liam Alford, is a world professional kick boxing champion and has vowed to keep training despite his full time peace mission.
"I will be flat out training," he said.
And he added: "I am looking forward to the experience. It is a great opportunity to see the world and it will be good for my career.
"I am still fighting, but I am just taking six months off.
"It will be a good break as well because it has been so intense the last few years."
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