U.N. confirms release of peacekeepers abducted by Syria rebels
(Reuters) - The United Nations on Thursday confirmed the release of all 45 Fijian peacekeepers who had been held for two weeks by al Qaeda-linked militants in the Golan Heights on the Israeli-Syrian border.
"Today at 1430 hours local time, the 45 Fijian peacekeepers who had been detained were handed to UNDOF at Position 80," the U.N. press office said in a statement. "All the 45 peacekeepers are in good condition and will proceed back to Camp Foar for medical assessment."
The Fijians were kidnapped last month by Islamist fighters battling the Syrian army after the militants overran a crossing point in the so-called disengagement zone that the U.N. peacekeeping mission known as UNDOF has monitored since 1974. The ceasefire line was agreed after a 1973 Arab-Israeli war.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/11/us-syria-crisis-peacekeepers-un-idUSKBN0H61HR20140911
