Delayed Chad deployment gets underway today

The deployment of Irish soldiers to Chad is due to get underway today following a two-month delay due to the security situation in the country.

More than 50 members of the elite Irish Rangers are due to fly to the African state tonight and tomorrow to take part in an EU peacekeeping mission.

Their role is to protect refugees who have fled across the border from the neighbouring Darfur region of Sudan.

The deployment was delayed, however, due to unrelated clashes between rebel forces and government troops on the outskirts of the capital, N'Djamena.