Phl welcomes release of abducted peacekeepers

MANILA, Philippine (Xinhua) - The Philippine government welcomes the release of the four Filipino UN peacekeepers abducted on May 7 in Al Jamla, Syria, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs ( DFA) said in a statement yesterday.

"They were brought to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force's (UNDOF's) base in the Golan Heights, Camp Ziuoani, for medical check-up and stress debriefing," the DFA said.

Syrian rebels seized the four peacekeepers along the UN- patrolled demarcation line separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria on May 7.

This was the second such incident in two months. Twenty-one Filipino peacekeepers were abducted and held for three days by the rebels in the same area two months ago.

The Philippine government and its people express deep appreciation to the UN and to all those who have exerted and contributed to the collective efforts to effect the safe release of all four UNDOF members, it said.

The Philippines stresses the impartiality of UNDOF and its mandate to monitor the Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria and strongly reiterates its call on all parties to respect the freedom of movement and safety and security of peacekeepers in UNDOF, DFA said.