TAOISEACH SALUTE TO SOLDIERS

TAOISEACH Micheal Martin is in Lebanon today - on a Christmas visit as he says thank you to more than 300 Irish peacekeepers.

- BY MICHAEL O'TOOLE Crime and Defence Editor In Beirut

Mr Martin will also this morning meet Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut.

Mr Martin sent a message to the 360-strong Irish contingent of United Nations peacekeepers at their main base UNP 2-45, known as Camp Shamrock, in the south of the country.

It is around 10km from the Blue Line, the de-facto frontier between Lebanon and Israel.

It has been the site of fierce fighting between Israel and Islamic group Hezbollah - but it has been relatively quiet for the last year.

But just a few weeks ago, six Irish soldiers had a lucky escape when they were ambushed by a group of gunmen in the Hezbollah stronghold of Bint Jbeil. None of them were injured and their armoured car absorbed three shots aimed at them.