Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations Bashar Jaafari said Tuesday that jihadists from the al-Nusra Front have taken possession of the vehicles, arms, and uniforms of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).
“The terrorists are now using United Nations cars, which hold the emblem of the United Nations forces in the Golan. They are using the uniform of the UNDOF, the weapons of UNDOF, the positions of UNDOF to shell on the Syrian army as well as on the civilians in villages,” Jaafari told reporters.
Jaafari also “accused Israel, Qatar and Jordan of being behind a ‘very big plot’ to destabilize Syria.”
The ambassador’s accusation is supported by photographs showing the terrorists near UN vehicles. The charge was also confirmed by a report issued by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon (.pdf) last week:
On the morning of 27 August, approximately 100 armed members of several armed groups, including Jabhat al-Nusra, launched an attack on Syrian armed forces positions at the Bravo gate and in the area of Quneitra in the area of separation. UNDOF evacuated its personnel from the Charlie gate to Camp Ziouani. Later that day, UNDOF observed armed elements removing three United Nations vehicles left behind at the position, as well as looting equipment and personal effects at the position. Simultaneous to the attack on Quneitra and the Bravo gate, armed groups also engaged Syrian armed forces positions in the area of Tal al-Kurum and Jaba. There were several incidents when fire, including mortar rounds, landed close to United Nations positions, as a result of which United Nations personnel in positions affected by the fighting, as well as those in Camp Ziouani, entered shelters. Following several hours of heavy fighting, the armed elements gained control of the Bravo gate and most parts of Quneitra.
The UN report also gave details of the capture of 45 Fijian peacekeepers in late August. Though the Fijians were released to Israel last week, the growing threat to the rest of UNDOF’s peacekeepers spurred them to flee Syria for Israel this Monday.
[Photo: BBC World News / YouTube ]