Austria to Quit UN’s Golan, ’Israel’ Concerned

Local Editor

Austria said on Thursday it would pull out of a UN force on the Golan Heights after battles between Syrian troops and rebels there.

Meanwhile, UN expressed concern that the departure of the Austrians, who make up about 380 of the 1,000-strong United Nations Disengagement Observer Force [UNDOF], threatens the whole operation.

"Austria has been a backbone of the mission, and their withdrawal will impact the mission's operational capacity," said UN spokeswoman Josephine Guerrero.

This comes after the armed groups failed to seize the sole crossing between Syria and its Occupied Golan on Thursday morning, sending UN staff scurrying to their shelters, before Syrian soldiers managed to push the militants back and reassert their control of Quneitra.

The "Israeli" foreign ministry said on Thursday it regretted Austria's decision to leave UNDOF, adding that it hoped it would not lead to "further escalation in the region".

It said it expected the United Nations to maintain the monitoring mission.
Austria defended its decision to leave the fertile Golan plateau, saying it could no longer justify its troop presence.
"Freedom of movement in the area de facto no longer exists. The uncontrolled and immediate danger to Austrian soldiers has risen to an unacceptable level," Chancellor Werner Faymann and his deputy Michael Spindelegger said in a joint statement.

In recent months Japanese and Croatian troops have left the blue-helmeted ranks of UNDOF, while the Philippines, the other main contributor, has said it might leave after several cases where Syrian armed militants held its peacekeepers captive. India also has soldiers there.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team