The Filipino peacekeepers who
are currently in Golan Heights may no longer go back to their posts after they
were held by the Syrian rebels in an earlier standoff. “It would risky for the
troop to go back there,” said Col. Roberto Ancan, chief of the military’s
Peacekeeping Operations Center.
Instead of going back, the
troops are now busy doing other tasks at
Camp Ziouani.There have a training on explosive ordinance and disposal, first
aid, combat life support, and more.
Last August 28, the 75
peacekeepers, who were stationed at Position 68 and Position 69, were surrounded by rebels connected to the al Qaeda network where the United
Nations Disengagement Force commander, Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha, ordered the
troops to surrender their firearms in exchange for the Fijian peacekeepers who
were captured by the rebels that time. But the Filipinos refused to execute his
order.
After they were attacked by the
rebels, the troops who are in Position 69 managed to free themselves while
those in position 68, clashed with the
rebels for about seven hours.
For the second time, Singha
again ordered the troops to surrender their firearms, but the Filipinos – on an
instruction from the Armed Forces of the Philippines defied his order. There,
the Filipino troops planned to escape from their posts.
The
75 soldiers joined the 25 other
Filipinos who are pulled out from Position 60
at the Camp Ziouani. The 25 Filipinos were pulled out due to imminent danger.Filipino troops are
still operating one position, Position 80, which is on the Israel side. All of
them will be pulled out next month.
