Philippines mulls pullout of Golan peacekeepers
Manila believes the risk to its 342 UN troops is beyond tolerable limits, says foreign secretary
A photo of Filipino UN peacekeepers kidnapped from their Golan outpost by the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade in May 2013 (photo credit: Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade/Facebook)
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine foreign secretary says he is recommending to President Benigno Aquino III to pull out all Filipino UN peacekeepers from the Golan Heights following the abduction of four by Syrian rebels.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Friday that the government believes the exposure of the country’s 342 peacekeepers is beyond tolerable limits.
Aquino will have the final say in the matter. It is not clear when the decision will be made.
Syrian rebels seized four peacekeepers in the UN-patrolled demarcation line separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria on Tuesday, only two months after 21 were abducted and held for three days by the rebels in the same area.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
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