U.N. peacekeepers released by Syrian militants


On Thursday, the United Nations confirmed that 45 Fijian peacekeepers captured last month in the Golan Heights have been freed.
The peacekeepers had been held by the Nusra Front, an al Qaeda-linked Syrian rebel group, NBC News reports. The U.N. said in a statement that all of the peacekeepers are in good condition, and will undergo medical evaluation. They were released at the Quneitra crossing point in the Golan Heights.
Frank Bainimarama, Fiji's interim prime minister, called the men "heroes," and added, "They kept their cool and showed restraint under the most extreme circumstances imaginable [and] because of their discipline, not one militant was killed and none of our soldiers were harmed. As I often say, Fiji stands tall and proud in the world, and today because of these brave men, we stand ever taller and prouder."
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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