US Embassy warns Americans to stay out of Golan

The US Embassy in Tel Aviv issued a security warning advising citizens to defer travel to the Golan Heights because of the civil war in Syria.

Dated June 6 but emailed Monday to US citizens in Israel, the advisory was issued due to “fighting between Syrian opposition forces and the Syrian military in the central portion of the Disengagement Zone in the Golan Heights near the Syrian town of Qunaitra.”

“US citizens are advised to defer non-essential travel to and within the Golan Heights and to exercise an extra measure of caution,” it said.

The Golan has been increasingly pulled into the Syrian war, with volleys of fire between Israel and Syria coming somewhat frequently. Last week saw rebels and Syrian troops engaged in some of the heaviest fighting yet along Israel’s border, and rebels at one point took control of the only crossing between the countries.

Austria, the largest contingent of the UN peacekeeping force posted along the border, said Monday it would begin pulling out troops later this week.

After the pullout, the force will be left with 341 Philippine soldiers and 193 from India, a fraction of its former strength.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.