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| Filipino UN peacekeepers escape from Syrian rebels, military chief says | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 70 Filipino peacekeepers have escaped from two areas in the Golan Heights that came under attack by Syrian rebels, the Philippines military chief says. | More than 70 Filipino peacekeepers have escaped from two areas in the Golan Heights that came under attack by Syrian rebels, the Philippines military chief says. |
| General Gregorio Pio Catapang said on Sunday in Manila the peacekeepers had separately moved to positions that were safely away from any further threat. | General Gregorio Pio Catapang said on Sunday in Manila the peacekeepers had separately moved to positions that were safely away from any further threat. |
| Catapang said the Filipinos had been surrounded by the rebels and had to return fire in self-defence before managing to escape after a seven-hour siege. | Catapang said the Filipinos had been surrounded by the rebels and had to return fire in self-defence before managing to escape after a seven-hour siege. |
| “We may call it the greatest escape,” he said. | “We may call it the greatest escape,” he said. |
| A first group of 35 Filipinos at the Breiqa encampment were extracted on Saturday morning, with the assistance of Irish peacekeepers who rushed to the scene, officials said. | A first group of 35 Filipinos at the Breiqa encampment were extracted on Saturday morning, with the assistance of Irish peacekeepers who rushed to the scene, officials said. |
| The Irish UN peacekeeper battalion, which is responsible for emergency responses, evacuated the peacekeepers on Saturday morning, said a military official who spoke on condition that his name and country of origin not be revealed, citing army policy. | The Irish UN peacekeeper battalion, which is responsible for emergency responses, evacuated the peacekeepers on Saturday morning, said a military official who spoke on condition that his name and country of origin not be revealed, citing army policy. |
| He said there was no shooting involved, and no injuries. He said that the Irish battalion also evacuated another base on Friday but provided no further details. | He said there was no shooting involved, and no injuries. He said that the Irish battalion also evacuated another base on Friday but provided no further details. |
| Syrian rebel groups, including the al-Nusra Front, overran the Quneitra crossing on the frontier between Syrian and Israeli-controlled parts of the Golan on Wednesday, also seizing 44 Fijian peacekeepers. | Syrian rebel groups, including the al-Nusra Front, overran the Quneitra crossing on the frontier between Syrian and Israeli-controlled parts of the Golan on Wednesday, also seizing 44 Fijian peacekeepers. |
| The Site Intelligence Group reported that the Nusra Front had posted a statement on its Twitter account on Saturday taking responsibility for detaining the Fijians. | The Site Intelligence Group reported that the Nusra Front had posted a statement on its Twitter account on Saturday taking responsibility for detaining the Fijians. |
| It said the Fijian detainees “are in a safe place, and they are in good health, and that we have given them what they need of food and treatment”. | It said the Fijian detainees “are in a safe place, and they are in good health, and that we have given them what they need of food and treatment”. |
| The Nusra Front posted a photo showing what it said were the captured Fijians in their military uniforms along with 45 identification cards, Site said. | The Nusra Front posted a photo showing what it said were the captured Fijians in their military uniforms along with 45 identification cards, Site said. |
| The Nusra Front claimed the Fijians were seized in retaliation for the UN ignoring “the daily shedding of the Muslims’ blood” in Syria and colluding with Syrian president Bashar Assad’s army “to facilitate its movement to strike the vulnerable Muslims” through a “buffer zone” in the Golan Heights, Site said. The Site report could not be independently confirmed. | The Nusra Front claimed the Fijians were seized in retaliation for the UN ignoring “the daily shedding of the Muslims’ blood” in Syria and colluding with Syrian president Bashar Assad’s army “to facilitate its movement to strike the vulnerable Muslims” through a “buffer zone” in the Golan Heights, Site said. The Site report could not be independently confirmed. |
| The UN mission, known as UNDOF, has 1,223 troops from six countries: Fiji, India, Ireland, Nepal, Netherlands and the Philippines. | The UN mission, known as UNDOF, has 1,223 troops from six countries: Fiji, India, Ireland, Nepal, Netherlands and the Philippines. |