Austria has pulled out of its peacekeeping mission as both Syrian rebels and regime forces claim to have seized control of a UN-manned demilitarized crossing on the Golan Heights, a disputed region between Syria and Israel.
Austrian Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Bauer said that the
rebel Free Syrian Army had taken the crossing near the Syrian
city of Quneitra, which is operated by a 1,000-soldier United
Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).
A mortar shell struck the UN base in Quneitra, injuring one
peacekeeper, Israeli media reported. Austria’s 380 UNDOF
peacekeepers had withdrawn to their bunkers, and suffered no
casualties. An Austrian Defense Ministry crisis committee has met
to discuss the incident, Col. Bauer told AP in Vienna.
However, it remains unclear who now controls the UNDOF post, with
conflicting reports emerging from both sides. The rebels
reportedly opened fire on the Syrian forces, who retaliated with
fire from tanks and armored vehicles. There have also been
reports that the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights was shelled by
Syrian government forces.
“The heroes of the Liberation of Quneitra Front, in
collaboration with the heroes of al-Mutasem bi-Allah brigade,
have liberated the border crossing with Israel,” the rebels
declared on Facebook.
But several hours after the checkpoint was reportedly seized,
Israeli security sources said the Syrian army had recaptured the
area. "The Syrian army has recovered control of the crossing,
there are sounds of explosions from time to time but far less
than in the morning," an Israeli source said, speaking on
condition of anonymity.
Separate reports have emerged claiming the Syrian army deployed
tanks to the border region as part of its fight against the
rebels. Syrian state news agency SANA said that government forces
“repelled terrorist groups” that “tried” to take
over the Quneitra crossing. SANA also cited an unnamed official
as saying that a large number of rebel fighters were killed or
injured.
Israeli military spokesperson Peter Lerner said that mortar
shells fell on the Israeli side of the border near the Quneitra
passage, CNN reported. Lerner also said that Israeli authorities
have instructed farmers in the Golan Heights not to approach the
border fence, due to the ongoing fighting on the Syrian side.
Israel has reportedly moved tanks to the Israeli-occupied side of
the border.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a
“campaign of simultaneous attacks” was underway against
Syrian government checkpoints in Quneitra Province.
The battle for the Quneitra checkpoint comes just a day after
Syrian troops, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, retook the key town of Qusayr after a weeks-long
siege.
However, the siege combat was apparently in violation of a
ceasefire agreement with Israel after the 1973 war. The region is
located in a strategic area near main supply routes some 10
kilometers from the Lebanese border.