Syrian rebels strengthen hold over Israel border region

haaretz ^ | | Aug. 31, 2014 | 1:22 AM | Amos Harel and Jack Khoury

[BenLurkin]

Syrian rebel groups strengthened their hold over the Syrian side of the Quneitra Crossing — located on the frontier between Syrian and Israeli controlled parts of the Golan Heights – over the weekend and managed to repel attacks by Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar Assad. The rebels kidnapped dozens of Fiji soldiers, members of the UN observer force stationed in the Golan Heights and are maintaining a siege on a second UN stronghold manned by Philippine soldiers.

...

Nusra Front forces took over a stronghold manned by a Fiji UN force and kidnapped the soldiers stationed there at gunpoint, leading them on to buses and shipping them southward to an unknown destination. The UN is currently conducting a mediated negotiation to have them released. Their condition is unknown, though no information indicating that they were harmed had surfaced at this time. Meanwhile, members of the radical organization laid siege to another two UN strongholds located south of the Quneitra Crossing, both manned by Philippine soldiers. In the Breiqa encampment 40 soldiers were under siege and south of it in the Rwihana encampment 35 soldiers were under siege.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III ordered the troops in the two encampments not to surrender and gunbattles erupted in the area. The Philippine soldiers managed to hold their ground and fight back the attempts to take their positions. On Saturday an Irish UN force arrived at Breiqa and evacuated the Philippine force stationed there into Israeli territory. Currently the Rwihana encampment is still under siege but it is likely that the UN will make an attempt to free its forces there too, considering they are located a mere 1.4 kilometres from the Israeli border.

[TBP]

This may be good. If they get too close to Israel, Bibi is likely to go after them.

[ClearCase_guy]

Yeah, I bet the IDF will fight a little better than the UN weeneies. [chuckle]

[Rumplemeyer]

This may be good. If they get too close to Israel, Bibi is likely to go after them

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With no prisoners or survivors...

[tflabo]

Question? If ISIS stupidly attacks Israel will Assads army join in together for or against them?

[FlyingEagle]

We are seeing reasons to use tactical nuclear weapons in Syria. No plan to ever go in. Plenty of muslims need killing today.

[EinNYC]

Here’s a problem with your plan. Israel is right there. I certainly do not want any nuclear fallout contamination to go to Israel and harm her people, livestock, or agricultural operations.

[FlyingEagle]

Good point. So, start with glassing Tabqa airfield. See if they still want to fight after that, this Isis.