UNITED NATIONS, June 27: Military commanders from UN peacekeeping missions have urged members of the powerful 15-member Security Council to extend greater support to them so that they could, in turn, protect the civilian populations they are expected to protect.
India, which is among the key contributors to the UN peacekeeping, was also represented.
Major Iqbal Singh Singha, force commander of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), cited the main challenges facing his mission in the Golan Heights in the Middle East. Troops have come under fire, have been kidnapped, had weapons seized and their offices vandalised, he noted.
Contributors such as Austria have pulled out their troops from the mission, Singha told reporters here yesterday. He pointed out that certain steps like suspending night patrols and a reduction in operations footprint have been taken in order to ease tensions within the mission.
“We have continued to evolve and the mission continues to carry out its mandate in a modified manner,” he said, adding the UN headquarters in New York is “doing everything possible” to keep the mission operational and safer.
The UN chief appointed Singha to his position last year. The mission is tasked with maintaining ceasefire between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights area.
Singha succeeded a Filipino major general in the post. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the time, Singha brings to his new position extensive command experience and knowledge of peacekeeping attained through services at the national and international levels.
Before his appointment, Singha was the General Officer Commanding Infantry Divison.
UNDOF was established in 1974 by the Security Council.
Peacekeeping officials from Lebanon, South Sudan also spoke to journalists.
Earlier in the day, UN military officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Kosovo addressed the Security Council.
The UN peacekeeping heads are currently in New York on an annual weeklong meeting aimed at sharing ideas about their common goals of supporting efforts in their countries of work and challenges on how to tackle different problems. (UNI)
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