Syria Rebels Kidnap 4 UN Peacekeepers in Golan

Local Editor

Syrian armed groups announced on Tuesday that they kidnapped four Filipino UN peacekeepers in the "Israeli"-occupied Golan Heights, claiming that clashes in the area had put them in danger.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the detention and called for the peacekeepers' immediate release. They were detained as they patrolled close to an area where 21 Filipino observers were held for three days in March.

The so-called "Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade" made the announcement on its Facebook page, in a statement accompanied by a picture of four peacekeepers wearing light-blue UN flak jackets marked "Philippines."

The same group was responsible for the March kidnappings and initial reports described it as hostage-taking.
"The brigade does not want this issue blown out of proportion like the last incident," said Abu Iyas al-Hourani, a rebel from the group who spoke to Reuters on Skype.

UN spokeswoman Josephine Guerrero said the peacekeepers were taken at Position 86, near the southern end of the narrow "area of separation" between Syrian and Occupied Palestine.

Ban "strongly condemns the detention of four [United Nations Disengagement Observer Force] peacekeepers by armed elements" and "calls for their immediate release," said the UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.

"The secretary general calls on all parties to respect UNDOF's freedom of movement and safety and security," he added.
The United Nations sent extra armored personnel carriers, ambulances and other security equipment to the force after the March 6 - 9 abduction.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org