Filipino peacekeepers have reportedly escaped while other members of the UN troops are still to be released after their post in Golan Heights has been attacked by the Syrian rebels on Sunday.
Earlier reports claimed that the crisis occurred when the Syrian rebels were able to take control of the Quneitra crossing located on the border between the Syrian and Israeli controlled p[arts of the Golan Heights last Wednesday. The UN troops were said to be taken in surprise after knowing the next day that the rebels are already taking advance steps in their post. The Islamist group identified as the Nusra Front has seized the area and demanded the troops to surrender.
The Filipino peacekeepers reportedly refused to surrender and fight the rebels instead. The encounter between the groups reportedly last for seven hours while there are also other groups from the UN that are waiting to be released. About 44 Fijian peacekeepers have been seized and in custody of the said rebel group.
The capture of the Fijian UN armed forces is actually raising concern to Fiji's military commander, The Guardian reports. The authorities are still not yet able to locate the exact location of the captured individuals. In a recent statement released by the Nusra Front, they confirmed that they held the Fijians as captive, but they also stressed that they provide them with food, medicine and safety; however, they also claimed that they released the Filipino peacekeepers which is quite contrary to the reports that those men escaped.
It was already reported that the Filipino peacekeepers were able to escape and not released the heavy gun battle that they had with the rebel group despite of the fact that they were outnumbered. It was said that the men were able to surpass the fight as they arrived safe in the UN base alongside the Israeli border. On the other hand, the UN still awaits the release of the Fijians while Nusra Front demanded that the organization should provide humanitarian aid to the Syrian suburb in return of the other peacekeeper's freedom.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
