Ki-moon Slams Attacks on Peacekeepers in Syrian Golan Heights

UNITED NATIONS-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Saturday strongly condemned an attack by armed groups earlier in the day on the UN peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights and “the continuing detention and restriction of the movements” on the peacekeepers from Fiji and the Philippines, according to Xinhua news agency.

A statement issued by Ban’s spokesman said the secretary-general strongly condemned the attack on positions of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force ( UNDOF) and the continuing detention and restrictions of movement on 84 UNDOF peacekeepers from the Fijian and Philippine Battalions by armed groups, including the Al Nusra Front.

Earlier Saturday, the spokesman said that UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights were attacked by armed groups with mortar and heavy machine gun fire, as efforts are intensified to achieve the safe release of 44 blue helmets detained Thursday.

There are no reported casualties among personnel of UNDOF, the spokesman told reporters here earlier Saturday.

According to UNDOF, its Force Reaction Group was deployed to UN Position 69, which was fired on by armed groups. All 32 Filipino UN personnel from this position have been extricated and are now safe. There are still another 40 Filipino UN personnel at a different position whose movements remain restricted.

Armed groups also attacked UN Position 68 with mortar and heavy machine gun fire. The UN peacekeepers returned fire and prevented the attackers from entering the position. Personnel were prevented from moving out as firing continued.

UNDOF has also withdrawn personnel from one of its observation posts as a precautionary measure after the firing in the vicinity.

UNDOF on Wednesday said that several mortar rounds struck near its positions as gunmen, including some from Al- Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, stormed the crossing in deadly fighting with Syrian government troops.

On Thursday, 44 peacekeepers from Fiji were captured by armed groups and 72 others were confined to their base because of continued fighting in the area, the spokesman said.

“The secretary-general demands the unconditional and immediate release of all the detained United Nations peacekeepers and calls upon all parties to cooperate fully with UNDOF to enable it to operate freely and to ensure full safety and security of its personnel and assets,” the statement said.

Twenty-five Philippines peacekeepers serving with UNDOF were detained by armed terrorists groups in March and May of 2013. They were released safely shortly afterward.

H.Mustafa