UN under fire on Golan Heights

Independent on Sunday:

ISLAMIC militants have reinforced a siege on UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights this evening.

"As we speak more rebels in more than 20 vehicles are approaching and reinforcing the siege around Position 68," a diplomat source said on condition of anonymity. The source added that the reinforcements began arriving at 11:00 p.m. local time.

The area on the Syria-Israel border has been the focus of increased violence in recent days.

Irish troops operating in the area in a peacekeeping capacity were involved in a rescue mission this morning at another post under siege by militants.

32 Filipino UN peacekeepers at the Breiqa encampment were extracted this morning, with the assistance of Irish peacekeepers who rushed to the scene, said officials.

The UN has said there was a firefight - however it is not yet known whether any Irish soldier discharged their weapon.

The Irish UN peacekeeper battalion, which is tasked with emergency responses, safely evacuated all the Filipino UN peacekeepers.
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To have a firefight I think boths sides have to discharge their weapons.  Otherwise it is a one sided affair.  What could be the motives of the rebels in taking the UN positions?  It is possible they are trying to pull the Israelis into the conflict, but that would be a disaster for them.  The UN team was not a threat for them, but taking action against eh UN forces could result in UN operations against the rebels.