Wounded Filipino Peacekeeper in “good and stable” condition

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 7): Wounded Filipino Peacekeeper in “good and stable” condition
 
The Filipino peacekeeper wounded after a wayward indirect fire landed at the United Nation’s Camp Ziouni in the Golan Heights is now in stable condition, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

The incident happened while there was fighting between Syrian government and rebel forces some three to four kilometers away from Camp Ziouni, the logistics base of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Golan Heights.

A member of the 6th Philippine contingent to the Golan Heights, the Filipino was hit by shrapnel just above his right ankle.

“He was immediately given medical treatment and is now in a good and stable condition,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said in a press briefing.

The wounding of a Filipino peacekeeper in the Golan Heights “highlighted once again how the deteriorating security situation in Syria is posing extreme risk to the UNDOF mission,” Hernandez said.

The DFA earlier recommended to President Benigno S. Aquino III to withdraw more than 300 Filipino peacekeepers from the area as soon as possible following the second kidnapping of Philippine troops in the volatile region by rebels last month.

“While we remain steadfast in our support for UNDOF’s mandate and mission, our priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our people,” Hernandez said.

“In this context, the DFA has already submitted to the President its recommendation for the immediate pullout of the Philippine peacekeeping contingent in the Golan Heights.”

The peacekeepers are part of the U.N. mission monitoring the armistice line in Golan Heights between Syria and Israel following the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

“We would like to emphasize that peacekeepers should not be exposed to that kind of risk. They form an impartial observer force with the important task of maintaining peace in an area that used to be a site of conflict. As such, the peacekeepers should be assured of their safety and security,” Hernandez said.

“We also call on all concerned parties to ensure that the freedom of movement and safety and security of the UNDOF are observed,” he added.

The Philippines has a total of 742 police, military and jail personnel in eight U.N. peacekeeping operations, namely Haiti, Liberia, South Sudan, Cote d’ Ivoire, the disputed territory of Abyei between Sudan and South Sudan, the India-Pakistan border and Afghanistan.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=532288