UN seeks help to free abducted fijians
The UN Security Council called upon "countries with influence" on Wednesday to press al-Qaida-linked insurgents to release 45 UN peacekeepers from Fiji who were abducted last week in the Golan Heights.
A news statement approved by all 15 council members after a briefing by UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the soldiers.
Heavy clashes have raged in the Golan Heights since Syrian rebels captured a border crossing between Syria and Israel near the abandoned town of Quneitra on Aug 27. Fighters from al-Qaida's Syria branch, the al-Nusra Front, kidnapped the Fijians and surrounded two Filipino contingents serving in another UN contingent the following day.
The mission currently includes troops from six countries: Fiji, India, Ireland, Nepal, Netherlands and the Philippines. A number of countries have withdrawn their peacekeepers because of the escalating violence.
AP
(China Daily 09/05/2014 page11)
