Philippines demands Syrian rebels release troops

The soldiers, part of a 300-strong Filipino peacekeeping unit, were part of a convoy that was stopped at midday Wednesday by gunmen who said the troops would be held until Syrian regime forces pulled back from a Golan village.

"The Philippine government strongly condemns the illegal detention of 21 Filipino peacekeepers under the United Nations command in the Golan Heights," Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement.

Del Rosario said their detention was a gross violation of international law, pointing out they were operating under the UN flag, and calling for the hostages to be released immediately.

A UN Disengagement Force has been monitoring a ceasefire between Syria and Israel since 1974.

 Philippine President Benigno Aquino expressed optimism the 21 would be released quickly.

"I understand they are being treated well... so far, nobody has been saying that they are in danger," he told reporters.

Aquino said UN peacekeeping leaders in the Golan were negotiating with the Syrian rebels.

"They (UN chiefs) expect all of these 21 to be released," he said.

However a rebel spokesman said the troops would be held until forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pulled back from the village, and also accused the UN peacekeepers of favouring Israel.

Philippine military spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Burgos said the whereabouts of the hostages was not known. He refused to name them, but said they included three officers.

"They were on a convoy composed of four vehicles and they passed a Syrian rebel post. They were initially stopped but later allowed to proceed after a round of negotiations," Burgos told reporters.

"But at a second (post) the Syrian rebels detained them. The rebels took the ignition keys of the vehicles."

He said the 21 soldiers were part of a 300-member Philippine Army unit that arrived at the Golan Heights in November last year.

"Their job is to patrol the area of separation, either by boat or mobile patrols at irregular intervals during the nighttime. They also keep close contact with the host nations Syria and Israel," Burgos said.

"The contingent also ensures the safety of the local inhabitants in the area by guarding the minefield" separating the Syrian and Israeli forces.

The United Nations has reported a growing number of incidents in the Golan over the past year. It has sent extra armoured vehicles and communications equipment to reinforce security for the mission.

Up to the end of February there were about 1,000 troops from Austria, Croatia, India and the Philippines operating in the ceasefire force.

Last week, Croatia said it was withdrawing its 100 troops over fears for their safety, following similar moves by Japan in recent months. Canada pulled its troops out in March 2006.

Aquino said no decision had been made on whether to pull the rest of the Filipino peacekeeping unit out of the Golan Heights.