Friday, December 19th, 2014 | Posted by WorldTribune.com
UN’s 1,300 observers at loose ends after fleeing to Israel from Syria’s Golan Heights
Special to WorldTribune.com
WASHINGTON — The United Nations monitoring force is struggling to operate after fleeing Syria’s Golan Heights.
A UN report said its monitoring force has been hampered by the loss of its bases in Syria as well as a sharp reduction in manpower. The UN Disengagement Observer Force, on the Golan for 40 years, has been mulling plans to redeploy its staffers to maintain surveillance over the Israeli-Syrian frontier.
“I am gravely concerned about the developments in the area of separation that forced UNDOF to take the decision to temporarily relocate from the Bravo [Syria] to the Alpha [Israel] side,” UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said.
In a report by the secretary-general on Dec. 1, UNDOF was portrayed as struggling to resume operations, including the crossing of students from Israel to Syria, after its flight from the Syrian side of the Golan in September 2014. More than 1,000 staffers fled to Israel amid fighting with Sunni rebels led by Al Qaida’s Nusra Front for the Defense of Levant.
Ban determined that UNDOF was unlikely to return to its base in Syria’s Quneitra province, about 90 percent of which is controlled by Nusra. The UN chief said UNDOF was examining a plan to reduce the force from 1,300 to 750. About 200 staffers would be redeployed.
“In addition, further to the currently manned positions of UNDOF and Observer Group Golan, there would be a requirement to establish new United Nations positions west of the ceasefire line.” Ban said in a report titled “Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 4 September to 19 November 2014.” “This interim configuration would allow UNDOF to continue to monitor, verify and report on violations of the Disengagement Agreement and exercise its critical liaison functions with the parties, particularly in preventing escalation of incidents.”
Under the plan, UNDOF would establish its headquarters in Damascus, with an operational base in Camp Ziouani. The force would also maintain four positions on Mount Hermon, the highest point in the region, as well as two positions along the frontier.
Officially, UNDOF consists of 929 troops from six countries, nearly half of whom come from Fiji. The Philippines, with the second largest contingent, withdrew from the Golan in September after a series of rebel attacks.
“Since the temporary relocation of the Force on 15 September, movements of UNDOF personnel on the Bravo side have been limited,” the report said. On Mount Hermon, UNDOF conducts foot and vehicle patrols twice daily. Convoys between Damascus and the Mount Hermon positions to ensure the resupply as well as maintenance of the positions are conducted in armoured vehicles and with UNDOF security escort.”
http://www.worldtribune.com/2014/12/19/uns-1300-observers-loose-ends-fleeting-israel-syrias-golan-heights/
