THE head of the United Nations' peacekeeping force in Lebanon has said the country's military and intelligence are preventing the war in Syria from spreading over the border.
Amid concerns that Islamic State may target the Unifil mission in the south of the country, Major General Michael Beary said 17 people have recently been arrested on suspicion of terrorism.
The top Irish officer said intelligence services pass on warnings from time to time but there have been no specific jihadist threats against peacekeepers.
"Similar to many European countries there is an Isis involvement in Lebanon and we have to be conscious of that," he said.
"I'm satisfied that we have a very good system for adjusting our procedures in ensuring that we are not placed under any unnecessary threat."
About 380 Irish soldiers are serving with the mission, overseeing a cessation of hostilities across the so-called "blue line" that separates the Israeli military from the Lebanese army and Hezbollah.
Gen Beary held talks with Joe McHugh, junior minister for overseas development, in Naquorah, where Unifil is headquartered, on the strategic plans for the mission.
The mission's aim is to one day return control of the area to the government in Beirut.
Forty countries are involved in the peacekeeping operation and a number of them are involved in the US-led efforts to combat global terrorism, heightening concerns they could be seen as an Isis target.
The Unifil mission reports almost daily breaches of UN resolution 1701, passed in the aftermath of the 2006 war in South Lebanon and Israel.
Some relate to simple incursions into Israel or Lebanese territory while drones, some for surveillance, are a common sight over the unstable region.
Along with the potential for Isis influence there is also the issue of Hezbollah fighters returning from Syria, where they backed president Bashar Assad's army, to what is technically a war zone.
Posters of dead soldiers are a common sight in some villages along the "Blue Line".
Gen Beary, who took command of Unifil in the middle of last year, said he was not "overly concerned" about the risk Hezbollah may pose.
The UN mission works closely with Lebanese army and intelligence services to keep terror threats at bay.
"We have a very close relations," the commander said.
"They have been doing a good job in securing the country and stopping instability arriving in the country from the Syrian civil war.
"However they need international support to keep the country safe."
