Syrian rebels detain UN peacekeepers on Golan Heights
UN officials said negotiations were under way Thursday with Syrian rebels who seized 21 UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone between Syria and Israel, as rebels took total control of the key northern city of Raqa.A young fighter saying he was from the "Martyrs of Yarmouk" said the peacekeepers would not be set free until Syrian government forces withdrew from the village of Jamlah, a mile east of the ceasefire link with the Israeli-occupied Golan, Reuters reports."If no withdrawal is made within 24 hours we will treat them as prisoners," he said, claiming the UN forces had collaborated with Syrian government troops to drive the fighters out of the village.The UNDOF force was established in 1974 following the 1973 Yom Kippur war to monitor the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces and maintain a ceasefire.Vitaly Churkin, Russia's UN ambassador andthe current Security Council president, said talks were under way between UN officials from the peacekeeping force and the captors.
In December, Mr. Ban accused the Syrian government of serious violations of the 1974 separation agreement and called on both countries to halt firing across the ceasefire line. He cited numerous clashes between Syrian security forces and opposition fighters in the disengagement zone.In response, he said, UNDOF has adopted a number of security measures.
UN officials said negotiations were under way Thursday with Syrian rebels who seized 21 UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone between Syria and Israel, as rebels took total control of the key northern city of Raqa.A young fighter saying he was from the "Martyrs of Yarmouk" said the peacekeepers would not be set free until Syrian government forces withdrew from the village of Jamlah, a mile east of the ceasefire link with the Israeli-occupied Golan, Reuters reports."If no withdrawal is made within 24 hours we will treat them as prisoners," he said, claiming the UN forces had collaborated with Syrian government troops to drive the fighters out of the village.The UNDOF force was established in 1974 following the 1973 Yom Kippur war to monitor the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces and maintain a ceasefire.Vitaly Churkin, Russia's UN ambassador andthe current Security Council president, said talks were under way between UN officials from the peacekeeping force and the captors.
In December, Mr. Ban accused the Syrian government of serious violations of the 1974 separation agreement and called on both countries to halt firing across the ceasefire line. He cited numerous clashes between Syrian security forces and opposition fighters in the disengagement zone.In response, he said, UNDOF has adopted a number of security measures.
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