The body of Irish UN peacekeeping soldier Sean Rooney will be repatriated to Ireland later on Sunday.
A member of the Irish Defence Forces, Private Rooney, 23, from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, was killed on active service when his convoy came under attack in Lebanon this week. The Defence Forces said Mr Rooney's remains left Beirut on an Air Corps plane at 4pm Beirut time.
A UN ceremony was held to honour the soldier at Beirut Airport before the departure. Private Rooney's body will be taken to Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, before being reunited with his family on Monday.
Read more: Sean Rooney: Friend pays emotional tribute to 'kind' soldier killed in Lebanon
His colleague, Private Shane Kearney, from Killeagh, Co Cork, was seriously injured in the incident. He remains in a serious condition in hospital. The soldiers were part of 121st Infantry Battalion, comprising 333 Irish troops, which was deployed in November to south Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).
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