9 March 2013
Australia has joined with other members of the United Nations Security Council in condemning the detention of 21 peacekeepers from the Philippines serving with the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Syrian village of Al Jamlah.
The Australian Government shares the concerns of other UNSC members and the Philippine Government regarding the welfare of these peacekeepers.
Their detention has implications for the security of all peacekeepers serving with UNDOF and other UN missions in the vicinity.
The Australian Government calls for the peacekeepers’ immediate and unconditional release.
UNDOF was established in 1974 following the Yom Kippur war to observe the ceasefire between Israel and Syria. It is one of three UN peacekeeping missions in the region (UNDOF, the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon). Australia has 12 peacekeepers deployed with UNTSO.
