A new video has been released by Syrian rebels today showing the 21 captured UN hostages alive and well. The hostages, soldiers from the Philippines who were in Syria as part of the Syria-Israel border monitoring team, were captured yesterday by rebels, who have accused them of being in league with the Syrian government.
The group that captured them, the Martyrs of Yarmouk, has since backed off its more hostile rhetoric and is now calling the hostages “guests” in the village of Jamla, just across the border from Israel. They are continuing to demand Syria cede villages to them in return for their release.
Rebels and government forces have been fighting over villages along the Golani frontier, which had already prompted both Croatia and Japan to withdraw their troops from the UN mission. The fighting is continuing, and with the hostage situation there is concern that the remaining monitors may withdraw as well.
At present all of the UN troops are from the Philippines, India, and Austria. Israel has expressed concern that the pullout would endanger the ceasefire, in place since the 1974 war, but with fighting getting so intense along the border there seems little interest among either Syrian rebels or regime to draw Israel into the civil war.
UN officials and the Philippines government say negotiations are ongoing with the Syrian rebels and they expect to secure the release of the hostages soon. Exactly what price will be exacted is unclear, but the incident is likely to raise more concerns about Western efforts to arm the rebels, if they can’t even be counted on not to kidnap random UN monitors.
Ditz wrote:
"…there seems little interest among either Syrian rebels or regime to draw Israel into the civil war."
This is just over the top now…
Look Ditz: Israel is already involved. As explained: this is a "proxy war"…and Israel is not only involved in arming and providing logistical support to the mercenary terrorists, Israel has already violated Syrian airspace and bombed Syria…
Remember that little 'indecent' Ditz…the bombing of Syria by Israel? Or does flying into another nation and bombing it not count as "involvement"/"intervention" in your so-called 'mind'?
These particular 'UN peacekeepers' were supposedly unarmed and kidnapped in the Golan Heights. If I understand correctly, Syrian troops are forbidden to even enter the Golan according to the UN resolution…
These so-called "rebels" are criminals and terrorists. They intentionally kidnap people and kill civilians political and/or financial reasons…and brag about it (which is part of the 'strategy') by posting it on YouTube.
When the last time UN 'peacekeepers' were kidnapped…kidnapped by US backed death squads Ditz? Not only that, but kidnapped followed up with bragging about it on the internet via YouTube and the lame-stream media? When is that last time something like this has happened Ditz? Yet AW.C has much more 'important' news of a possible "filibuster" in the absurd body known as the US Senate and posts a picture of two hijacked unarmed 'UN Peacekeepers' with their blue bullet proof vests on, with the by-line reading: "Syria Rebels Won't Harm Captured UN Peacekeepers, Activist Says"…
Just look at these contradictory videos Ditz…and notice that the so-called "rebels" are goading Assad to attack Israel in the 3rd video–essentially mocking the "resistance" movement itself…but hey, what else would you expect from Israeli backed mercenary terrorists?
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/video…
Thanks for the reassurance that the terrorists are taking good care of their captives Ditz…thanks…
Getting a 'fact' or so wrong here are there is one thing; however, consistently distorting, ignoring, and even inventing "facts" is quite another…
Again Ditz…it's obvious Israel is heavily involved in this.. remember the Israeli "bombing" of Syria recently…
This is inane…
Ditz wrote:
"…there seems little interest among either Syrian rebels or regime to draw Israel into the civil war."
This is just over the top now…
Look Ditz: Israel is already involved. As explained: this is a "proxy war"…and Israel is not only involved in arming and providing logistical support to the mercenary terrorists, Israel has already violated Syrian airspace and bombed Syria… Remember that little 'incident' Ditz?? You know: the bombing of Syria by Israel? Or, does flying into another nation and bombing it not count as "involvement"/"intervention" in your so-called 'mind' Ditz?
These particular 'UN peacekeepers' were supposedly unarmed and kidnapped in the Golan Heights. If I understand correctly, Syrian troops are forbidden to even enter the Golan according to the UN resolution…
These so-called "rebels" are criminals and terrorists. They intentionally kidnap people and kill civilians for political and/or financial reasons…and, on top of everything, brag about it (which is part of the 'strategy') by posting it on YouTube and other places on the internet.
When was the last time 'UN peacekeepers' were kidnapped…kidnapped by US backed death squads Ditz? Not only that, but kidnapped followed up with bragging about it on the internet via YouTube and the lame-stream media? When was the last time something like this has happened Ditz? Yet AW.C has much more 'important' news of a possible "filibuster" in the absurd body known as the US Senate and posts a picture of two hijacked unarmed 'UN Peacekeepers' with their blue bullet proof vests on, with the by-line reading: "Syria Rebels Won't Harm Captured UN Peacekeepers, Activist Says"…
Thanks for your reassurance the terrorists are taking good care of their captives Ditz…thanks…
Just look at these contradictory videos Ditz…and notice that the so-called "rebels" are goading Assad to attack Israel in the last video–essentially mocking the "resistance" movement itself…but hey, what else would you expect from Israeli backed mercenary terrorists?
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/video…
Getting a 'fact' or so wrong here are there is one thing; however, consistently distorting, ignoring, and even inventing "facts" is quite another…
This is inane…