As the situation in Syria including along its border with Israel continues to deteriorate, the United Nations announces it is withdrawing its peacekeeping force from the area.

The United Nations on Wednesday pulled peacekeepers back from an observation post in the Golan Heights ceasefire zone where four Philippine troops were abducted by Syrian rebels, a spokesman said. Hizbullah-affiliated TV reports that the abduction of the four led to the UN’s decision to withdraw.

The move came as countries which contribute troops to the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) expressed renewed concern about security in the zone between Israel and war-stricken Syria.

The Philippines called on the UN Security Council to “exert all influence” to obtain the release of the Filipino troops. The four were seized by Syrian rebels on Tuesday; only two months after 21 Filipino soldiers were abducted by the same group for four days.

UNDOF, which has been monitoring a ceasefire between Israel and Syria since 1974, has about 1,000 peacekeepers and civilian staff from Austria, the Philippines, India, Morocco and Moldova.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)