Hezbollah has handed over a man suspected of shooting dead an Irish soldier in Lebanon, according to reports.
Pvt Sean Rooney, 24, was killed while on a UN peacekeeping mission when the armoured vehicle he was travelling in came under fire.
Officers investigating the incident on December 14 arrested several people, according to Asharq Al Awsat, an Arabic international newspaper in London.
The AFP news agency, quoting an unnamed security source in Lebanon, reported that the man had been handed over to authorities by Hezbollah.
“The main shooter has been arrested by security forces after Hezbollah handed him over hours ago,” the source said.
A spokesman for the militant group and political party told Reuters that the man was a supporter of Hezbollah but not a member.
Security sources said the man was suspected of firing shots at a UN Interim Force in Lebanon vehicle as it drove through southern Lebanon.
The shooting happened near the village of Al Aqbiya in the country's southern stronghold of Hezbollah.
Three other soldiers were injured in the attack.
The Iran-backed group has denied any involvement in the shooting, which is the subject of three separate investigations. The UN Interim Force in Lebanon, Lebanese authorities led by a military prosecutor and the Irish Defence Forces have all launched inquiries.
Pte Rooney’s body was repatriated to Ireland last week, where he was remembered as a national hero.
The remains of the young man from Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal, were returned to his family.
The coffin carrying Pvt Rooney's body was carried into Holy Family Church in Dundalk, for his funeral Mass on Thursday morning by his family and members of the Irish Defence Forces.
The Irish tricolour and a UN flag were draped over his coffin.
“Today is the most difficult of days,” chief celebrant Fr Derek Ryan told the congregation in his opening words.
Irish President Michael D Higgins, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and Micheal Martin, the deputy head of government, were among those in attendance.
There was applause in the church when the soldier’s mother Natasha told the congregation: “He is a national hero.”
The view from The National
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
Richard Jewell
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley
Two-and-a-half out of five stars
Company%20profile
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West Indies v England ODI series:
West Indies squad: Jason Holder (c), Fabian Allen, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas.
Fixtures:
1st ODI - February 20, Bridgetown
2nd ODI - February 22, Bridgetown
3rd ODI - February 25, St George's
4th ODI - February 27, St George's
5th ODI - March 2, Gros Islet
