UN peacekeepers return to Syrian side of Golan Heights

UN Spokesman Farhan Haq said more troops from the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) would return to camp Faouar this week and that both governments in Israel and Syria supported the move, the US-funded Radio Sawa reported Tuesday.

"The total number of troops that deployed to Camp Faouar this morning is 127 and more are expected to join in a week," said Haq.

"For now… they will perform as many of the mandated tasks as they can, security conditions permitting," he added.

"The situation in the area is dramatically different from what it was prior to 2014 and the mission’s concept of operations has been adjusted accordingly," said Haq. 

The UNDOF monitors a 1974 ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights.

Hundreds of UN troops withdrew from the Syrian-held side of the Golan to the Israeli side in September 2014 after the kidnap of dozens of peacekeepers.

Source: MENA