Golan standoff over; Filipino troops safe

From Rappler (Aug 31): Golan standoff over; Filipino troops safe

About 40 Filipino peacekeepers were able to escape while the Syrian rebels were sleeping

The standoff in Golan Heights involving Filipino peacekeepers is over, the military announced Sunday, August 31. There are no casualties.

About 40 Filipino peacekeepers who were earlier engaged by Syrian rebels in a 7-hour firefight were able to escape midnight Sunday (about 5am in Manila), Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr said in a press briefing at the Philippine military headquarters.

Catapang called it the "Great Escape." The troops in Position 68 were able to find an escape route while the while the rebels were sleeping. They met no resistance.

"Filipino peacekeepers from both Position 68 and 69 have successfully repositioned to Camp Ziuoani," the Philippine military said in a statement.

Firefight erupted 6am on Saturday (11 am in Manila) while negotiations were ongoing. "Our troops defended their position. The Syrian rebels attacked on-board pick-up trucks. Our peacekeepers returned fire in self-defense. Our troops fought back bravely and successfully held their positions," it added.

Intermittent firefight lasted for 7 hours and stopped around dusk on Saturday. The Filipino troops under the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) escaped around midnignt.

Syrian rebels on Thursday surrounded encampments of Filipino peacekeepers in Golan Heights, demanding them to surrender their firearms. The refusal of the Filipino troops resulted in a standoff.

They were earlier ordered to stand their ground against the rebels, including some linked to Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, Al-Nusra Front.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United Nations will not compromise the safety and security of our troops while in the pursuit of their duties. It is in our national interest to prioritize their safety without abandoning our commitment to international security," Catapang said.

All troops are safe

The other group of about 35 Filipino peacekeepers in another UN post 4 kilometers away – Position 69 – were also able to extricate on Saturday. Irish peacekeepers helped secure the escape route.

The standoff happened UN posts located in central Golan. As contingency measure, a 3rd group of 58 Filipino peacekeepers in a post in northern Golan also evacuated their posts and consolidated at the UNDOF headquarters.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the attack on UN peacekeepers, by non-state actors he said included the Al-Nusra Front, Ban's spokesperson said.

Ban also called for the immediate release of the Fijian peacekeepers who had been detained, a call echoed later Saturday by a Security Council resolution.

"We are still working towards the safe release of the detained 44 Fijian peacekeepers," it added.

The Filipino peacekeepers defied the rebels because they did not want to meet the same fate of the Fijian peacekeepers who were taken hostage after they surrendered their firearms.

The tour of duty of the Filipino peacekeepers ends in October. Catapang said the troops will finish it.

The incident happens as the Philippine government is finalizing the pullout of troops in Golan Heights, citing the escalating internal conflict.

Last year, Syrian rebels also abducted 2 separate groups of Filipino peacekeepers. They were eventually released unharmed.

http://www.rappler.com/nation/67726-filipino-peacekeepers-evacuated-golan-heights-united-nations