16 Sep 2014

UN pulls troops, including Fijians, from Syrian Golan Heights

8:31 pm on 16 September 2014

The United Nations has reportededly evacuated hundreds of peackeeping troops, including Fijians, from the Syrian side of the Golan Heights into territory controlled by Israel.

The 45 Fiji soldiers captured by al-Nusra in Golan Heights.

The Fijian soldiers who were released last week. Photo: Supplied

The Wall Street Journal reports the troops were threatened by escalating fighting as a result of Syria's three year civil war spilling into the demilitarised zone.

However, a UN spokesperson says the move is temporary and does not indicate a change to the UN's mandate in Golan - to monitor a 40-year old ceasefire between Israel and Syria.

The decision comes less than a week after Syrian rebel forces released 45 Fijian peacekeepers from two weeks in captivity.