EIGHT soldiers serving on the peacekeeping mission to Chad have had to be repatriated to Ireland on medical grounds, the Sunday Tribune has learned.

Since the Defence Forces first deployed in February 2008, seven soldiers came back to Ireland and will not now be able to return to Africa. An eighth person was repatriated temporarily and was able to resume operations.

Troops based in Chad are enduring harsh desert conditions – probably the toughest conditions ever experienced by Irish soldiers on overseas missions.

Stringent conditions have to be met before a soldier can be considered for service there because of the basic living conditions and prevalence of disease.

It emerged yesterday that the international aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontieres has withdrawn its staff from the area the Irish soldiers are patrolling. They blamed a significant increase in armed attacks on their personnel.

A total of 539 Irish personnel have been flown into Chad to take part in the EUFOR mission so far, including Army Rangers, engineers and other troops.

Commandant Gavin Young of the Irish Defence Forces said: "The nature of the medical conditions necessitating repatriation is confidential. However, there have been no major injuries to date, and none of these repatriations were emergency medical evacuations requiring an air ambulance.

"All of the repatriations were due to illness/injuries that required ongoing treatment that is not possible in Chad, and it is considered not reasonable to leave personnel there."

The unit in Camp Ciara has a medical facility consisting of two doctors, a dentist and 12 paramedics. Helicopters provide the capability for 24-hour medical evacuation and an Italian field hospital in Abeche provides advanced trauma, life support, damage control and primary surgical facilities.

Commandant Young said: "The medical concept is first aid is provided on the spot of an injury by our own troops who are all trained in first aid.

"All patrols lasting more than 24 hours would travel with a doctor and paramedics. Should an injury be serious enough to require more advanced/intense care than that available in Chad, any patient would be stabilised and evacuated by air ambulance to Ireland."

The eight troops were flown back to Ireland by commercial airline after suffering a variety of injuries.