There has been heavy fighting in the Quneitra area of the Syrian Golan
Heights in recent days
Philippine peacekeepers trapped by rebels in the Syrian Golan Heights
are "under attack", Philippine Defence Minister Voltaire Gazmin says.
He said the assault had started early on Saturday, but gave no details
on any casualties.
In recent days the Syrian rebels have taken 44 Fijian peacekeepers
hostage in the area and surrounded 75 Filipinos manning two separate
UN posts.
The rebels have also seized a crossing point into the Israeli-occupied Golan.
They are believed to include members of the al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's
affiliate in Syria.
Mr Guzman told reporters that 40 Philippine soldiers trapped at one
post had come under attack on Saturday.
Thirty-five others based at the other camp have been "extricated", he said.
Worsening security
The Fijian members of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) were
detained on Wednesday near Quneitra, during fighting between rebels
and government forces.
Last week the Philippine government said it would bring home its 331
peacekeeping forces from the Golan Heights in October, amid
deteriorating security there.
Israel seized most of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau in
south-western Syria, during the 1967 Six-Day War.
The two countries signed an armistice in 1974, after which Undof was
put in place to monitor the demilitarised zone.
It has 1,224 lightly-armed military personnel from Fiji, India,
Ireland, Nepal, the Netherlands and the Philippines.
BBC
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