# UNDOF Observers kidnapped by al Qaeda offshoot



## RackMaster (Aug 28, 2014)

Anyone watching this?  Frankly I wish it had more coverage.

I think the UN better have a response by morning.



> http://www.businessinsider.com/dozens-of-undof-troops-kidnapped-2014-8
> 
> According to an August 28 UN statement, 43 peacekeepers "were detained early this morning by an armed group in the vicinity of Al Qunaytirah." An additional 81 peacekeepers were being "restricted to their positions" at two bases south of the area where the kidnapping reportedly occurred.


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## Kraut783 (Aug 28, 2014)

Why would JN risk UN intervention at this stage of the game?  JN is in a battle with Assad forces and is still at odds with ISIS....


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## RackMaster (Aug 28, 2014)

None of this makes sense but that hasn't stopped them before.


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## Gunz (Aug 29, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> None of this makes sense but that hasn't stopped them before.


 
Some people just like to fuck around with UN peacekeepers. They're conveniently located and chances are they won't shoot.


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## Crusader74 (Aug 29, 2014)

http://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/heroic-irish-troops-rescue-filipino-4131748

Irish troops rescued Filipino soldiers who were being hunted by Syrian rebels.

Our brave soldiers managed to save the peacekeepers from a massacre by securing an escape route for the Filipinos near the Israeli-Syrian border.

The militants had captured 43 Fijian soldiers from one UN post and transported them to where the Filipino troops were stationed.

They demanded those troops hand over their guns in exchange for the men and women.

But before any deal could be made, the Filipinos managed to escape from the post and were left isolated by the jihadists who were chasing them down.

That’s when our Irish soldiers stepped in to protect them troops

The place our is one of the most hostile areas in the region and our troops were in serious danger at the time.


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## pardus (Aug 29, 2014)

Kraut783 said:


> Why would JN risk UN intervention at this stage of the game?  JN is in a battle with Assad forces and is still at odds with ISIS....



Are you serious? UN intervention? Hahaha, WTF is the UN going to do?


About the only time the UN intervened is when it broke it's own charter and invaded a peaceful province and slaughtered many people in Katanga, oh and then they (via Dutch Soldiers) intervened or should I say colluded with Serbians to commit genocide in former Yugoslavia. 

Give me a break, the UN is the epitome of PC world order gone wrong. The UN's motto should be...
"PLEASE DON'T OFFEND ANYONE, AT ANY COST, REGARDLESS OF COST!"


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## Kraut783 (Aug 29, 2014)

I probably worded that wrong...while the UN is indeed impotent, this act could bring action against them by countries who are sitting on the fence...I provocation that JN could have avoided at this stage in the game.  Assad is probably laughing his ass off...


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## Crusader74 (Aug 30, 2014)

Irish Troops (UNDORF QRF) currently engaged in a fire fight against rebels..

http://www.un.org/sg/offthecuff/index.asp?nid=3516


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## pardus (Aug 30, 2014)

Crusader74 said:


> Irish Troops (UNDORF QRF) currently engaged in a fire fight against rebels..
> 
> http://www.un.org/sg/offthecuff/index.asp?nid=3516



Kick ass guys and stay safe!


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## Crusader74 (Aug 30, 2014)

Irish troops engage Syrian rebels to free 3 dozen hostage UNDOF peacekeepers in the Golan. Basically the 1st foreign intervention in Syria

https://twitter.com/DannyNis/status/505749041305513985


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## RackMaster (Aug 30, 2014)

Good job guys!  What's the World coming to when the Irish intervene in Syria first anf Canada sends aid to Ukraine fight off the Russians but the US sends "strong messages".


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## reed11b (Aug 30, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> Good job guys!  What's the World coming to when the Irish intervene in Syria first anf Canada sends aid to Ukraine fight off the Russians but the US sends "strong messages".


About 1939 I believe.
Reed


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## Crusader74 (Aug 30, 2014)

I'm getting messages from the Lads over there and it's  full on ...


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## Chopstick (Aug 30, 2014)

^^ the last 9 posts above=winning.


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## pardus (Aug 31, 2014)

"A UN official said a number of UNDOF contingents participated in the action on Saturday, *assisted by Israeli and Syrian forces*. It was unclear what form that assistance took."

Very interesting indeed. 
I hope the Fijians come out of this OK.


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## RackMaster (Aug 31, 2014)

I heard the Israelis provided "air support" and the Syrians provided "arty support" to keep one of the camps from being overrun.


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## pardus (Aug 31, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> I heard the Israelis provided "air support" and the Syrians provided "arty support" to keep one of the camps from being overrun.



Wow, that's pretty bloody interesting.


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## RackMaster (Aug 31, 2014)

pardus said:


> Wow, that's pretty bloody interesting.


 
I heard it on the radio but here's a report I found on it.  



> *Filipino UN peacekeepers rescued, 44 Fijian personnel remain missing*
> By REUTERS
> LAST UPDATED: 08/31/2014 08:10
> 
> ...


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## Marauder06 (Aug 31, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> I heard the Israelis provided "air support" and the Syrians provided "arty support" to keep one of the camps from being overrun.



I wonder if it was coordinated or if it was just everyone happened to be shooting at the bad guys at the same time.  I'm going with the latter.


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## pardus (Aug 31, 2014)

Marauder06 said:


> I wonder if it was coordinated or if it was just everyone happened to be shooting at the bad guys at the same time.  I'm going with the latter.



I wouldn't doubt that about the Syrian contribution, but The Israelis don't do things randomly.


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## RackMaster (Aug 31, 2014)

Marauder06 said:


> I wonder if it was coordinated or if it was just everyone happened to be shooting at the bad guys at the same time.  I'm going with the latter.



This also "paints" the Syrians as cooperative, I'm sure they wouldn't mind some help cleaning up their part of this mess.


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## Poccington (Aug 31, 2014)

I can't speak for the Syrian stuff but the Israeli side of things was definitely coordinated.


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## pardus (Aug 31, 2014)

Poccington said:


> I can't speak for the Syrian stuff but the Israeli side of things was definitely coordinated.



Nice to hear.


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## Chopstick (Sep 1, 2014)

Nothing says F*ck you UN, like er... saying F*ck you UN.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/filipino-force-defied-un-commander-in-golan-crisis/



> The Philippine military said Monday that a UN peacekeeping commander in the Golan Heights should be investigated for allegedly asking Filipino troops to surrender to Syrian rebels who had attacked and surrounded their camp.
> Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said he advised the 40 Filipino peacekeepers not to lay down their arms, and they defied the UN peacekeeping commander’s order. Instead, they staged a daring escape from the Golan camp over the weekend, ending a tense, dayslong standoff.


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## DA SWO (Sep 1, 2014)

The story should ID the UN Commander.

Went and found it.

Lieutenant General Iqbal Singh Singha

Indian Army.
Dumbass.

LOL, Pardus posted as I was typing an edit.


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## pardus (Sep 1, 2014)

SOWT said:


> The story should ID the UN Commander.






> The commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, or UNDOF, which supervises the peacekeeping mission in Golan, was overseeing talks with the Syrian rebels to secure the freedom of the Fijians. However, Catapang said he would not agree to any resolution of the hostage crisis that would put Filipino troops in grave danger.
> 
> When the besieged Filipino troops sought his advice after they were ordered to lay down their arms as part of an arrangement with the rebels to secure the Fijians' release, Catapang said he asked them to defy the order.





> Catapang said an investigation would allow the UNDOF commander to explain his side and the Philippine military to explain why it advised the Filipino peacekeepers to defy his order.



http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/filipino-force-defied-commander-golan-crisis-25201618
----------------------------------------------------------------

UNDOF Force Commander and Head of Mission

Lieutenant General I S Singha. Indian Army.






Ironically the former commander was Filipino...


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## HALO99 (Sep 1, 2014)

*PH troops repel Syrian rebels*
*Filipinos escape massacre in another UN camp*
Cynthia D. Balana |Philippine Daily Inquirer
2:50 am | Sunday, August 31st, 2014

Forty Filipino peacekeepers are battling heavily armed Syrian rebels who are trying to overrun their United Nations encampment on the Golan Heights, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said on Saturday.

“They have high morale,” Gazmin told reporters, referring to the group of Filipino peacekeepers defending Area Position 68 of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) on the Golan Heights.

Gazmin said the rebels attacked Area Position 68, about 4 kilometers from Area Position 69, after noon but were repulsed by the Filipinos.

The fire fight was going on between the Filipino peacekeepers and the rebels as of 5 p.m. in Manila.

Gazmin said the Filipinos had reported no casualties. He praised the elite troops’ courage and “high morale.”

A military official who asked not to be identified said the Filipino troops manning Area Positions 68 and 69 belonged to the Philippine Army’s elite Scout Rangers and Special Forces.

Gazmin said a second group of 35 Filipino peacekeepers manning Area Position 69 in the UN-controlled buffer zone between Israel and Syria were “extricated” after Syrian troops came to reinforce the Philippine troops when the rebels attacked at 6 a.m.

In a post on its website, the Irish Mirror said the Filipinos managed to escape from their besieged post but were chased by the rebels.

Irish peacekeepers, however, saved the Filipinos from “a massacre by securing an escape route” for them “near the Israeli-Syrian border,” the Mirror said.

The military official who asked for anonymity said the decision to extricate the Philippine forces from Area Position 69 was made by the Undof commander and not by the Philippine government.

On Friday, the United Nations ordered 58 Filipino peacekeepers moved from Area Position 60 to Undof headquarters in Camp Faouar.

Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/110271/ph-troops-repel-syrian-rebels#ixzz3C7vR5dkB


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## HALO99 (Sep 2, 2014)

Bad call on the part of UNDOF commander LtGeneral SINGHA.  He should review   and understand UN ROE and when in doubt, common sense must take over.


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## Ranger Psych (Sep 2, 2014)

Surrender to Islamic anything? Yeah, Ok...


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## Poccington (Sep 2, 2014)

Ranger Psych said:


> Surrender to Islamic anything? Yeah, Ok...



After being involved in a seven hour firefight with them no less! 

I've mates who were out there last year and the stories that came back about the Force Commander means this development isnt even really surprising. He should be out of a job after this.


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## Poccington (Sep 2, 2014)

pardus said:


> Nice to hear.



If it wasn't for the Israeli's, UNDOF probably wouldn't exist now.

They offer a crazy amount of support to the mission.


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## AWP (Sep 2, 2014)

I'm just glad this is resolved. I don't know how many more "Negotiations by Kerry" the ME can stand....


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## Poccington (Sep 2, 2014)

Freefalling said:


> I'm just glad this is resolved. I don't know how many more "Negotiations by Kerry" the ME can stand....



Well the Fijians are still being held so the Great White Hope may be called upon again to get his negotiation on!


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## racing_kitty (Sep 2, 2014)

I'm a little disappointed to see a Sikh make that kind of a blunder.  But the UN is the UN, so...


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## DA SWO (Sep 2, 2014)

racing_kitty said:


> I'm a little disappointed to see a Sikh make that kind of a blunder.  But the UN is the UN, so...



My guess is he isn't on the A-list and the UN gig is a way to hide him and promote him at the same time.


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## hoepoe (Sep 2, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> I heard the Israelis provided "air support" and the Syrians provided "arty support" to keep one of the camps from being overrun.


Israel did not assist the Syrians in any way. Where this may have been confused is that 2 things happened:
1) The Syrians launched air strikes on the rebels at Qunetra
1.1) This is very sigificant as Qunetra is in a buffer zone (Syrian side) and the Syrians are not allowed to fly there
1.2) Israel would have had to OK this or would have shot the Syrian aircraft down

2) A Syrian drone strayed into actual Israeli airspace and was destroyed by a Patriot Missile  (Thanks USA!)
2.1) This is being treated as a navigation error and not any hostile move

Points 1 and 2 clearly indicate that Israel prefers Assad's troops manning the Qunetra border crossing, but have not taken any actions on or over Syrian ground and are rather watching with concern

I don't know if kit's making international news, but alsot daily stray small arms and mortars are landing in Israel proper from the fighting in Syria. When intentionally targeting Israel, Isrel has responded with Artillery fire toward the source of hostilities.

It is indeed a tough neighborhood!

Hoepoe


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## racing_kitty (Sep 2, 2014)

hoepoe said:


> This post



Thank you for offering some insight on the situation.


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## RackMaster (Sep 2, 2014)

@hoepoe Thank you for your insight into this complicated situation.  I think with all the "shit" going on in the world, our media is limiting resources to your AO; seems the Russians and ISIS in Iraq have taken over.


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## pardus (Sep 2, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> @hoepoe Thank you for your insight into this complicated situation.  I think with all the "shit" going on in the world, our media is limiting resources to your AO; seems the Russians and ISIS in Iraq have taken over.



How fucked are things when you (me) want Russia to jump in and kick arse?


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## RackMaster (Sep 2, 2014)

pardus said:


> How fucked are things when you (me) want Russia to jump in and kick arse?



Frankly at this point I don't think it matters and having one of our enemies drawn into a major conflict might be beneficial to us.  Use that time to rebuild and fuck them up after they are war wèary and spread thin.


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## pardus (Sep 2, 2014)

Yup, I'd love to see Russia go boots on the ground in a big way in Syria and Iraq.


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## Kraut783 (Sep 2, 2014)

Yep, "your turn Putin"


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## AWP (Sep 2, 2014)

Fortunately, Russia's military is current on the whole "invade a foreign country" mission set...


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## pardus (Sep 2, 2014)

Freefalling said:


> Fortunately, Russia's military is current on the whole "invade a foreign country" mission set...



I'd say unfortunately...


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## RackMaster (Sep 3, 2014)

Well ISIS threatened Putin directly, so Russian involvement is inevitable.

http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4470.htm


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## Gunz (Sep 3, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> Well ISIS threatened Putin directly, so Russian involvement is inevitable.
> 
> http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4470.htm[/QUOTE]


 
Finally...proof that Donny Osmond has joined ISIL (1:05)


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## racing_kitty (Sep 3, 2014)

RackMaster said:


> Well ISIS threatened Putin directly, so Russian involvement is inevitable.
> 
> http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4470.htm



Out of the three world superpowers, the US is the only one that either can't or won't ruthlessly crush them with the kind of brutality that is warranted by vermin such as IS.  China just recently put eight of their own homegrown jihadis to death, and apparently aren't particularly afraid to poke them with a stick to get them riled up, either.  And if the last Chechen war wasn't enough, maybe a quick look at the myriad ways that Russians handle pirates is in order.  

Meanwhile, I'm going to pop some popcorn, and watch the genocide from the comfort of my own home.  GO RUSSIA!


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## BloodStripe (Sep 3, 2014)

How much info do you think gets shared between our intelligence agencies and Russian intelligence agencies? For example, the Russians warned us about the eldest Tsarnaev brother. Tensions are obviously moderately high with Russia right now, but we share many common foes with them so there has to be some level of cooperation I would think.


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## racing_kitty (Sep 3, 2014)

SOTGWarrior said:


> How much info do you think gets shared between our intelligence agencies and Russian intelligence agencies? For example, the Russians warned us about the eldest Tsarnaev brother. Tensions are obviously moderately high with Russia right now, but we share many common foes with them so there has to be some level of cooperation I would think.



You see how well that worked out, don't you?  Hell, Russia could call here on the bat phone to warn us of a terrorist attack, send recently uploaded YouTube videos of the aspiring jihadists running ROC drills, and email an order of battle that's accurate right down to the ounce in net explosive weight and grains for each bullet, and we'd be lucky if anyone bothered to jot it down on a fucking Post-It note before they run down to the bathroom to go rub one out before lunch.  

Just because we have open lines of communication doesn't mean that we're going to do anything about it, because we've already proven that we won't until after the bombs go off.


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## Kraut783 (Sep 3, 2014)

Freefalling said:


> Fortunately, Russia's military is current on the whole "invade a foreign country" mission set...



Naw, according to Putin, Russia Isn't involved  

"The Russian leader's spokesman stressed: 'Putin and Poroshenko really did discuss the steps that would lead to a ceasefire between militias and Ukrainian security forces.
'Russia cannot physically agree on a ceasefire, because it is not a party to the conflict."


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## Poccington (Sep 3, 2014)

hoepoe said:


> Israel did not assist the Syrians in any way. Where this may have been confused is that 2 things happened:
> 1) The Syrians launched air strikes on the rebels at Qunetra
> 1.1) This is very sigificant as Qunetra is in a buffer zone (Syrian side) and the Syrians are not allowed to fly there
> 1.2) Israel would have had to OK this or would have shot the Syrian aircraft down
> ...



Wasn't an IDF Officer injured recently due to stray rounds coming across the border?

When one of our lads got injured last year after the Mowag he was in was hit, it was the Israeli's who helped medevac him out. Without them playing ball, UNDOF literally would have to take their ball and go home.


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## pardus (Sep 3, 2014)

Nice to see the two IDF's getting along now.


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## hoepoe (Sep 4, 2014)

Poccington said:


> Wasn't an IDF Officer injured recently due to stray rounds coming across the border?
> 
> When one of our lads got injured last year after the Mowag he was in was hit, it was the Israeli's who helped medevac him out. Without them playing ball, UNDOF literally would have to take their ball and go home.


Yes and yes.


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## Crusader74 (Sep 4, 2014)

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crim...ty-lead-of-un-golan-heights-mission-1.1916908
A senior Irish Army officer will become the deputy force commander of the under pressure United Nations deployment in the Golan Heights, Syria.

Brig Gen Tony Hanlon, logistics director at Defence Forces Headquarters in Dublin, is preparing to take up his post during a tense period for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

At the weekend, Irish troops were forced to rush to the aid of Filipino soldiers taking part in the 1,200-strong UN mission after they were trapped by al Qaeda-linked rebels in a post they were manning.





Irish troops should have ‘more authority’ if staying in Golan



Analysis: Irish peacekeepers’ position at Golan in line of fire



Ireland should maintain its peacekeeping force on Golan Heights
The Irish rapid reaction force managed to evacuate their colleagues on Saturday morning and escort them from the danger area after a gun battle with rebels, while a second group of Filipino troops surrounded by rebels at another posting managed to escape during the night.

A group of some 43 Fijian soldier disarmed and taken hostage by Syrian rebel forces last Thursday remain unaccounted for. The Government is now re-evaluating the role of Irish troops in the region.

The difficulties facing the mission, in particular the fighting late last week and over the weekend, have also resulted in an embarrassing row amongst some of the UN’s senior military staff on the mission.

Col Ezra James Enriquez, the Filipino chief of staff with UNDOF, has now left his post in Syria.

Reports from Manila suggest he has taken leave in protest at the UN’s Indian force commander Lt Gen Iqbal Singha’a order that two groups of Filipino troops who found themselves surrounded last Friday by hundreds of al Qaeda-linked rebels should surrender their posts.

The troops refused to do so, with one managing to get to safety of its own volition and another being rescued by some of the 130 Irish troops on the mission, but only after the Irish exchanged fire with the rebels.

Lt Gen Singha, under whom Brig Gen Hanlon will work as second in command on the mission, has been quoted in the Indian media saying the order to the Filipinos to surrender had been made in the interests of the safety of the Fijian troops being held by the same rebels.

He suggested that the refusal by the Filipinos to surrender had put the lives of their colleagues in danger. “They have defied orders at a time when we had negotiated a ceasefire with the rebels to ensure that all troops in the conflict area could exit,” Lt Gen Singha told India Today.

“The higher UN echelon as well as the Indian Army agrees with me that the decision was correct. It is an act of cowardice to desert posts especially when a delicate ceasefire was in place, They broke the chain of command and UN orders.”

There are 1,223 UNDOF peacekeepers from six countries, among them 130 Irish peronnel.

There has been a UN mission in the area since 1974 to help secure a peaceful buffer and demilitarised zone between Syria and Israel.

Before the Syrian civil war the region was quiet. But the UN troops have been increasingly dragged into civil war related fighting since last year.


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## pardus (Sep 4, 2014)

Crusader74 said:


> Lt Gen Singha, under whom Brig Gen Hanlon will work as second in command on the mission, has been quoted in the Indian media saying the order to the Filipinos to surrender had been made in the interests of the safety of the Fijian troops being held by the same rebels.
> 
> He suggested that the refusal by the Filipinos to surrender had put the lives of their colleagues in danger. “They have defied orders at a time when we had negotiated a ceasefire with the rebels to ensure that all troops in the conflict area could exit,” Lt Gen Singha told India Today.
> 
> “The higher UN echelon as well as the Indian Army agrees with me that the decision was correct. It is an act of cowardice to desert posts especially when a delicate ceasefire was in place, They broke the chain of command and UN orders.”.



Are you fucking kidding me!!!?

This is exactly why the UN is a fucked organisation!


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## Grunt (Sep 4, 2014)

Call me the rebellious one, but I wouldn't have surrendered and allowed myself to be led like a lamb to the slaughter by a foreign leader either.

Mr. Leader is more than welcome to surrender himself if he so felt led...me, on the other hand, not so much.


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## pardus (Sep 4, 2014)

Agoge said:


> Call me the rebellious one, but I wouldn't have surrendered and allowed myself to be led like a lamb to the slaughter by a foreign leader either.
> 
> Mr. Leader is more than welcome to surrender himself if he so felt led...me, on the other hand, not so much.



Clearly you are a coward and a mutineer!


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## Grunt (Sep 4, 2014)

pardus said:


> Clearly you are a coward and a mutineer!




Indeed I am, Sir.....


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## pardus (Sep 4, 2014)

Agoge said:


> Indeed I am, Sir.....



Me too!


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## DA SWO (Sep 5, 2014)

LTG Dumbass probably doesn't understand that the Filipino's have been fighting muslims for years.  They know how prisoners get treated.


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## Poccington (Sep 5, 2014)

Reports coming out now that the Al Nusra Front are planning on making the Fijians they have as prisoners "stand trial" under Sharia Law.

This could get very ugly.


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## RackMaster (Sep 5, 2014)

That's not good at all.  Unless an attempt to recover them is made; they'll be recovering bodies.


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## DA SWO (Sep 5, 2014)

Poccington said:


> Reports coming out now that the Al Nusra Front are planning on making the Fijians they have as prisoners "stand trial" under Sharia Law.
> 
> This could get very ugly.


Locate prisoners, recover prisoners, kill orthodox muslims.
Problem solved.


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