Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights foil Syrian rebels' ramming attempt in Position 68

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 31): Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights foil Syrian rebels' ramming attempt in Position 68

Despite being outnumbered two-to-one and facing a breach in their defenses at Position 68 at the Golan Heights, the 40 Filipino peacekeepers manning the outpost bravely stood their ground and literally made their escape using the cover of darkness early Sunday morning (Syrian time).

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Peacekeeping Operations Center head Col. Roberto Ancan reported that the situation of Filipino forces in Position 68 got graver when three Syrian rebels' pick-up trucks mounted with ZSU-23 anti-aircraft guns tried to ram the gates of the outpost in an attempt to breach the defenses.

"They rammed the gates of Position 68 using three pick-up trucks equipped with ZSU-23s in an attempt to breach the defenses but our soldiers fought and fired, preventing them from making a breakthrough," he said in Filipino.

The Filipino soldiers' seven-hour long firefight with the Syrian rebels started at 6 a.m. Saturday (Syrian time).

Over 100 Syrian rebels made this attack. It was not immediately clear whether they sustained any casualties in their fight with the Filipino soldiers.

Reports from the ground initially stated that Position 68 was surrounded from all sides by the Syrian rebels.

Mortar rounds were also fired by the insurgents in a bid to force the Filipinos to surrender.

However, this proved to be of no avail as Position 68 was heavily fortified.

Aside from the bravery and determination of the Filipinos to stand their ground, Ancan said the Syrian military's providing indirect fire (artillery) support to the Filipinos prompted the rebels to halt their attacks and seek cover.

He stressed that this was done after the Syrian rebel positions were provided to the Syrian military.

Ancan said that 40 Filipino troopers manning Position 68 were able to make their getaway aided by the cover of darkness.

Most of these individuals are trained Scout Rangers.

Ancan also disclosed that they are still to determine whether casualties were sustained by the Syrian insurgents which were said to consist of members of the Al-Nusra Front, a known affiliate of terror group Al-Qaeda.

The Filipino soldiers managed to make an escape from their Syrian attackers at around 1:40 a.m. Sunday (Syrian time), taking with them all their equipment and arms.

Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, AFP public affairs office chief, said that the Filipinos' escape from Position 68 was aided by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), Syria, Israel, the United States and Qatar.

He added that the 40 Filipino troopers from Position 68 hiked some 2.3 kilometers to more secured UN positions in the Golan Heights which the Philippine contingent reached after an hour and 40 minutes of walking.

Prior to this, Zagala said that Syrian rebels negotiated anew with the Filipino troopers, asking the latter that they surrender their weapons in exchange for their safe passage.

But again, the Filipinos in Position 68 rejected this demand and stood their ground.

Ancan also declined to comment on whether the Filipino soldiers will be redeployed to Positions 68 and 69 once the situation stabilizes.

But he said that doing so would result in the Filipino troopers holding a "disadvantaged position."

Ancan also stressed that the UNDOF will need to coordinate with the Philippine government before ordering the deployment of Filipino troops in the above-mentioned outposts.

"That will be a matter for the government to decide as it is of national interest to ensure the safety and security of our troops," the AFP Peacekeeping Operations Center head said.

Ancan also said that they have no information on the whereabouts or conditions of the 44 Fijian peacekeeper troopers who were earlier captured by the Syrian rebels after yielding their weapons last Thursday.

The stand-off resulted from the refusal of Filipino troopers to surrender their arms and positions in the Golan Heights.

Prior to the assault on Position 68, Ancan said that Filipino soldiers in Position 69, numbering 35, were extricated from their location with the help of Irish troopers equipped with armored personnel carriers and other Filipino troops from Position 80.

He added that this attempt was greeted by sporadic fire from the Syrian rebels but despite this harassment, all of the men manning Position 69 were safely extricated.

Ancan attributed the success of this operation to the fact that the Syrian rebels were only organizing during extrication attempt and were unable to offer serious opposition.

He also stressed that the rebels did not have time to place landmines near the gates of Position 69, unlike what they did in Position 68.

Troopers from Position 69 were immediately taken to Camp Ziuoani where they were later reunited with Filipino soldiers manning Position 68.

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