Syrian rebels free 45 abducted Fijian peacekeepers, UN confirms

Al-Qaida-linked Syrian rebels on Thursday released all 45 Fijian peacekeepers they had held captive for two weeks, the United Nations said, bringing an end to a crisis that had pulled the UN monitoring force into the chaos of the Syrian Civil War. Fighters from the al-Nusra Front captured the Fijian troops late last month in the Golan Heights, where a 1,200-strong UN force patrols the buffer zone between Syria and Israel. The area along the frontier has been engulfed in heavy clashes since then between the rebels and the Syrian military.

We can confirm they have been released.

Farhan Haq, UN deputy spokesman

The UN said they were freed at the Quneitra crossing point in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan Heights and added that all 45 of the Fijian troops “are in good condition” and will be taken for a quick medical assessment. The Fijian hostages were captured on Aug. 28, one day after rebels seized control of the Syrian side of the Quneitra crossing from President Bashar al-Assad’s troops. According to the Fijians, the group had demanded to be taken off the UN terrorist list, wanted humanitarian aid delivered to parts of Syria and wanted compensation for three of its fighters it says were killed in a shootout with UN officers.

I would like to assure you that we have not been harmed in any way.

One of the Fijian captives in a video posted online earlier on Thursday

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