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Philippines says Syrian rebels stick to their demands, fail to release Filipino peacekeepers

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government says Syrian rebels have failed to release 21 Filipino U.N. peacekeepers and are sticking to their demands for repositioning of Syrian government forces.

The 21 peacekeepers were seized Wednesday near the Syrian village of Jamlah, just a mile from the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, where the U.N. force has patrolled a cease-fire line between Israel and Syria for nearly four decades.

The spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, Raul Hernandez, says the rebels had been expected to free the peacekeepers early Friday.

He says the rebels continue to demand that Syrian forces be repositioned somewhere in Jamlah, apparently to give space to the rebel forces.

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