SENDING in troops to protect refugees and aid agencies at the very heart of a humanitarian crisis may seem like an obvious move, but for Ireland and Europe it has been a very controversial one.

IRISH troops came under fire from rebel groups in Chad where they are protecting refugee camps close to the Darfur border.

Irish and Argentinian naval personnel today joined forces to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of the Mayo-born founder of the Argentine navy.

DEFENCE Minister Willie O’Dea took the salute yesterday from five young men and a woman who became the latest batch of officer cadets to be commissioned at the naval base in Haulbowline.

A CAR bomb targeting a British military convoy killed four Afghan civilians and one British soldier in the Afghan capital Kabul yesterday, NATO and Afghan officials said. Ten people were wounded.

Legislation to pave the way for Irish troops to join EU battle groups is expected to be approved by the Cabinet tomorrow, it emerged tonight.

RESPONDING to growing threats of insubordination, Israel's army chief announced yesterday he'll expel officers and soldiers who refuse to participate in a planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.

THE last contingent of military police to serve in Sarajevo arrived home yesterday but the Irish defence force is preparing to increase its commitment to the Balkans’ region.

MORE than 10,000 part-time troops have been ordered to prepare for active duty and movement overseas beginning as early as this week to support a US military build-up near Iraq, Army officials said yesterday.