UN Security Council affirms unconditional support to UNDOF force in Golan

New York, SANA – The UN Security Council reaffirmed its unconditional support for maintaining the UN peacekeeping force in the occupied Syrian Golan.

AP mentioned that the Security Council on Friday adopted a presidential statement in which it made it clear that the UNDOF force will not be withdrawn or disbanded.

The Security Council called the mission of the UNDOF as vital “to peace and security in the Middle East.”

The statement also condemned the latest attacks against the UNDOF personnel, demanding that the terrorist groups abandon all UNDOF positions, and return UN vehicles, weapons, and other equipment taken from Fijians captured last month.

“In this connection, the Security Council recognizes the necessity of efforts to flexibly adjust UNDOF’s posture to minimize risk to UN personnel as UNDOF continues to implement its task there,” the statement said.

But the council emphasized that “the ultimate goal is for the peacekeepers is to return to their positions in UNDOF’s area of operation as soon as practicable.”

The council called on all parties to allow UNDOF to operate freely, and asked UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to provide a report within 30 days on the steps necessary to enable the UN force to carry out its task even if it can’t operate fully in their positions in the Syrian Golan.

On August 18th, terrorist organizations attacked the positions of the UNDOF personnel in the surrounding of Rouehina and Breka villages in the Syrian Golan and kidnapped 43 of the Fijian peacekeepers and besieged 81 others.

Later, the so-called “Jabhat al-Nusra” terrorist organization claimed responsibility for kidnapping the Fijian personnel.
On Sept. 11, all the peacekeepers have been released and they were in a good condition and later they were transported to al-Fawwar camp for medical examination.

Peacekeepers serving with UNDOF monitor the 1974 disengagement accord between Syria and Israel after the 1973 war.
As of July 31, there are 1,223 peacekeepers from six countries – Fiji, India, Ireland, Nepal, Netherlands, and the Philippines – serving in the force.

Ruaa al-Jazaeri/ Mazen Eyon