Syria's Nusra Front releases U.N. peacekeepers
- 10 years ago
Dozens of seized U.N. peacekeepers appear in good spirits in this video released by the Al-Qaeda-backed al-Nusra Front.
One of them speaks for the group, presumably on September 9th:
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED HOSTAGE AND FIJIAN UN PEACEKEEPER SAYING:
"I would like to mention to you that it is a very happy day. We have been informed that we will be released soon and we are all very happy to be going home."
A U.N. source told Reuters the militants had insisted on such a video as a condition of the peacekeepers' release... which happened Thursday.
After arriving in the Golan Heights, a convoy of U.N minibuses carried the 45 Fijian peacekeepers to a camp for medical checks.
...Receiving a warm welcome by U.N. officers along the way.
The Fijians were kidnapped last month when Islamist militant groups including Nusra attacked them in the volatile frontier area between Syria and Israel.
One of them speaks for the group, presumably on September 9th:
(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNIDENTIFIED HOSTAGE AND FIJIAN UN PEACEKEEPER SAYING:
"I would like to mention to you that it is a very happy day. We have been informed that we will be released soon and we are all very happy to be going home."
A U.N. source told Reuters the militants had insisted on such a video as a condition of the peacekeepers' release... which happened Thursday.
After arriving in the Golan Heights, a convoy of U.N minibuses carried the 45 Fijian peacekeepers to a camp for medical checks.
...Receiving a warm welcome by U.N. officers along the way.
The Fijians were kidnapped last month when Islamist militant groups including Nusra attacked them in the volatile frontier area between Syria and Israel.