Forty-four Fijian soldiers working as UN peacekeepers remained captive to a militant group in Syria on Friday while 75 Philippine soldiers were in tense standoff with the rebels, according to the two Pacific nations.
Both nations remained hopeful the impasse could be resolved without bloodshed. Fijian Commander Brig Gen Mosese Tikoitoga said he’s been informed his soldiers are unharmed, although he hasn’t been able to contact them directly. Philippines President Benigno Aquino III said that while the situation was tense, there was no reason to believe his troops faced immediate danger.
The events began on Thursday morning on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, an area divided between Israel and Syria. Tikoitoga said three vehicles filled with about 150 armed rebels converged on the Fijian camp at about 7:30 am. He said the rebels demanded the Fijian soldiers leave within 10 minutes and insisted they board the rebel vehicles. The Fijians were then taken by the rebels to an unknown location. He said he’s been told they were later transported back to their original post. “We are all doing our best to ensure the safety of (those) that are currently being held captive,” Tikoitoga said.