Chad mission delayed over lack of air support

IRELAND’S peacekeeping mission to the central African country of Chad has been postponed until next year due to what the Government said was a lack of adequate air support for troops.

Earlier this year the EU agreed to send aid workers and about 4,000 peacekeepers to Chad to protect refugees from neighbouring Darfur.

Most troops earmarked for the mission are from France but 400 soldiers are to come from Ireland, with Irish Army officer Lieutenant General Pat Nash in charge of the operation.

Members of the Army’s elite Ranger wing and engineers had been due to travel to Chad soon to prepare a camp for the main group of Irish soldiers.

But the planned deployment has been dogged by problems as EU countries have not supplied enough planes, helicopters and medical backup.

The security situation in Chad has also worsened in recent days with government troops killing hundreds of rebels about 65km from where the Irish troops are due to be stationed.

Yesterday the anti-government Union of Forces for Democracy and Development declared what it said was a “state of war” against French military forces, and any other foreign soldiers who might be deployed there.

Now the Army Rangers expect to fly out to Chad in the New Year to prepare the way for the 400 troops, who are due to arrive in late February or early March.

Last night Fine Gael defence spokesman Jimmy Deenihan said the postponement of the mission to Chad was necessary.

He remained concerned that warnings went unheeded by the Government about the lack of air support for Irish troops in Chad.

“This mission is fraught with danger but from the beginning it was crystal clear that our troops were not being provided with the adequate support and resources.

“This serious issue was all but ignored by many in control, including Defence Minister Willie O’Dea and now we are seeing the fruits of his inaction.

“The water supply in the area for Irish troops is not of the quality or quantity necessary. The number of medical back-up personnel available to Irish soldiers is also deficient.”

But Mr O’Dea insisted the Defence Forces were taking no unnecessary risks in sending troops to Chad.

The Defence Forces said the delay was not unexpected, due to the shortage of “key enablers” like air support. A spokesman said any delay is unrelated to action by rebel forces in Chad.