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U.N. peacekeepers from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, also known as UNDOF, observe Syria's Quneitra province at an observation point on Mt. Bental in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

The situation in the Golan Heights is going from bad to worse

The Phillippines has pulled all of its peacekeepers out of the region.

THE PHILLIPPINES HAS pulled its peacekeepers from the Golan Heights ahead of schedule amid worsening security there, a military spokesman has said.

It comes after Minister for Defence Simon Conveney vowed that Irish UN troops will not “become involved in a civil war” in the region, amid heightened tensions in the disputed territory, and the recent kidnapping of Filipino and Fijian peacekeepers.

Coveney said yesterday that while further Irish involvement depended on a proper risk assessment, he did expect our contingent to re-deploy in the coming weeks.

A total of 244 of the 344 Filipino soldiers and staff will arrive back in Manila later today, with the rest flying in the next week or so, military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon Zagala told AFP.

“Troops are being repatriated because of the deteriorating security situation,” Zagala said, adding the United Nations had approved the withdrawal.

Protection of our soldiers is in the national interest.

Some of these troops had traded fire last month with Al-Qaeda-linked Syrian rebels who wanted them to surrender their weapons.

The gunmen also disarmed and abducted 45 Fijian peacekeepers who were later freed unharmed.

The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force withdrew hundreds of members of the peacekeeping force from the Syrian side to the Israeli-occupied sector of the area on Monday after Syrian fighters advanced near their positions.

Mideast Israel Syria Smoke rises following a Syrian strike in Syria's old city of Quneitra near the border crossing between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, late last month. AP Photo / Ariel Schalit AP Photo / Ariel Schalit / Ariel Schalit

Even before last month’s stand-off, the Philippine government had decided not to renew its peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights due to safety concerns.

The Filipino soldiers were scheduled to end their mission next month.

More than 100 Filipino UN peacekeepers have also been recalled from Liberia amid the deadly Ebola outbreak there.

Despite the Golan pullout, the Philippines will continue joining UN peacekeeping missions abroad and is set to replace its 150-strong force in Haiti this month, Zagala said.

“We are still committed to the UN,” he added.

The Philippines also maintains three peacekeeping observers and three staffers in the Ivory Coast and four in the Kashmir region between Indian and Pakistani forces.

- © AFP, 2014additional reporting by Dan MacGuill

Coveney: ‘I will not send Irish troops into civil war in Syria’ >

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    Mute Stibby
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    Apr 25th 2016, 11:08 AM

    Sums up my life :)

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    Mute Brian
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:12 PM

    More parents who film their kids at every moment in hope they can capture a moment that will get likes and attention on Facebook . Really is sad

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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:18 PM

    Jesus lighten up!

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    Mute Brian
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:24 PM

    Stop moaning about me moaning

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    Mute Roisin Byrne
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    Apr 25th 2016, 5:02 PM

    My dad filmed me constantly when I was tiny, and this was long before social media. I think it’s really nice to have old videos of when I was a baby, even if it’s just hours of footage of me sitting on the floor. Not just because I was adorable (fat) but also because it’s fascinating getting a glimpse into my parents’ lives at that time.

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    Mute Glenn Goff
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    Apr 25th 2016, 5:12 PM

    Have to say Brian as this girl’s dad..we don’t film her enough…They’re only small for a short period of time…when they find something fun and say daddy take my picture it’s nice to look back at and have fun and laugh about…some uptight people in this world…

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    Mute Kieran Stafford
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    Apr 25th 2016, 8:08 PM

    Ed sheerans parents taped him playing music all day every day. Don’t know did they take any photographs

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    Mute Will Phillips
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    Apr 25th 2016, 11:56 AM

    Lame.

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    Mute An Móirbheagach
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    Apr 25th 2016, 1:12 PM

    The News- 2016

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    Mute Aidan O'Donovan
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    Apr 25th 2016, 5:53 PM

    Landscape mode, for the love of god people

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    Mute Michael Kavanagh
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    Apr 25th 2016, 8:09 PM

    Looks like a fair few joyless folk either got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning or fell trying to get in last night!

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