Quds, Sha'ban 3, 1434, Jun 12, 2013, SPA -- Austria's U.N. peacekeepers left their posts and began withdrawing from the Golan Heights on Wednesday, after fighting from the Syrian civil war threatened their positions last week. The move came after Austria announced it would pull out its 377 peacekeepers from the 911-member U.N. force. Associated Press footage showed Austrian troops leaving the Syrian side and moving to the Israeli side of the occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday morning at the Quneitra crossing point, which was briefly overrun by Syrian rebels last Thursday. Austria's Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Michael Bauer said between 60 and 80 soldiers from the Golan are expected to land later in the day at Vienna airport. The pullout deals a heavy blow to the U.N. forces, which have been posted in the Golan since 1974 to monitor the cease-fire. The force also includes 341 Philippine soldiers and 193 from India. Croatia withdrew in March, fearing its troops would be targeted.
