"WAR debris", the military term used for unexploded bombs and landmines, is a constant cause of concern to the Irish troops serving with UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon).
In the 19 years that the Irish Battalion has been stationed in south Lebanon, it has had to contend with almost every type of landmine and unexploded device.
The antipersonnel device, like the one which injured the six Irish soldiers on Saturday morning, is a singular cause of concern. Tens of thousands of theses devices were left around south Lebanon, mostly by the Israelis.
Antipersonnel landmines are among the most disturbing modern weapons. The Israelis dropped large numbers of cluster grenades, devices which contain balls of shrapnel which make civilian amputee victims a common sight in south Lebanon.
Irish soldiers who have served in the area and have seen the injuries these services cause - particularly to children - still tend to become incensed when describing the devices and their purpose.
One of the antipersonnel landmines used by the Israelis in south Lebanon is a small, green device that has a disturbing resemblance to a Kermit the Frog toy. This device is a particular danger to children.
The other main threat to UN personnel and civilians are the large landmines planted by the anti Israeli elements, mainly the Iranian backed military wing of Hizbollah (Party of God) muslim militia.
The discovery and neutralisation of landmines is the Irish Battalion's main task in south Lebanon. Every morning, Irish ordnance and engineering soldiers check the lanes and ditches surrounding their camps for landmines. The soldiers, working their way slowly and quietly along the tracks, are known as the "Early Birds".
The operation at Beit Yahoun which led to Saturday's injuries was somewhat unusual in its origin but routine in its dangers. The incident followed a decision by the Israelis to plant a minefield around one of its fortresses inside south Lebanon. These bases are used by either regular Israeli soldiers or their allies in the South Lebanon Army (SLA) to mount artillery barrages into south Lebanon.
The compound at Beit Yahoun was apparently judged to be under threat of attack from Hizbollah and the area around it mined with antipersonnel and antitank devices. This resulted in the Irish observation post nearby, known as Position 620, being completely cut off.
The position is already the most isolated in the Irish Battalion area, being almost two kilometres inside the Israelicontrolled area, and is known to the soldiers as the "Black Hole". The position was held in spite of the mining but all transport in and out had to be by helicopter.
The infringement of the Irish UN post was not regarded as sufficiently serious to merit any public diplomatic exercise but the compound was visited by the Minister for Defence, Mr Sean Barrett, and the Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Lieut Gen Gerry McMahon, when they visited south Lebanon in March. The UN opened negotiations with the Israelis to remove the mines blocking the road to Position 620.
A week ago, an Israeli anti-mine bulldozer arrived at the compound and bulldozed the track to the Irish position. This, UN sources point out, was a crude mine clearance and posed serious difficulties for the Irish Battalion as it had to deal with the unexploded devices left buried by the bulldozing.
Four unexploded landmines were found on Friday and blown up safely. The clearance was under way on Saturday morning when one of the anti personnel mines left in the track exploded, badly injuring Private Gary Maloney, from Enms, and less seriously injuring five other soldiers.
There was no official confirmation of the type of landmine which exploded. however, the type of injuries, including the amputation of Private Maloney's left leg beneath his knee, suggested that it was an antipersonnel landmine. If it had been an antitank landmine, there could have been much more serious injuries.
The incident is only the latest in a series of dangers facing the Irish and other UN battalions in south Lebanon. Last month, the Battalion was under threat by the Hizbollah, which opened fire on another Irish position a few miles from Beit Yahoun.