UN chief slams detention of peacekeepers in Golan Heights
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E-mail Xinhua, March 7, 2013
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday condemned the detention of UN peacekeepers by armed elements in Golan Heights.
"The secretary-general condemns the detention of 21 United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) peacekeepers by armed elements in the vicinity of Al Jamla in the area of limitation and calls for their immediate release," said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesperson.
The UN Security Council created UNDOF in May 1974 after fighting between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights region. UNDOF is mandated to maintain a ceasefire between the parties, and monitor the implementation of a Disengagement of Forces Agreement signed by both sides that calls for an area of separation and areas of limited forces and armaments between the two parties.
According to reports, a group of more than 20 peacekeepers of UNDOF were detained by armed elements linked to the Syrian opposition earlier Wednesday within the area of limitation on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.
In the statement, the UN chief reminded all actors in Syria that UNDOF is mandated to monitor the Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria.
"UNDOF's freedom of movement and safety and security must be respected by all parties," said the statement.
According to Vitaly Churkin, the Russian UN ambassador who holds this month's presidency of the Security Council and read a press statement on the incident earlier Wednesday, "there were some demands" made by the captors.
Churkin also said that talks are already under way between UN officials from the peacekeeping force and the captors.
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