Peacekeepers in Golan Heights 'greatest escape'

Under cover of darkness, 40 Filipino peacekeepers escaped their besieged outpost in the Golan Heights after a seven-hour gunbattle with Syrian rebels, Philippine officials have said.

But 44 Fijian soldiers remain in the hands of the insurgents. The getaway, combined with the departure of another entrapped group of Filipino troops, marked a major step forward in a crisis that erupted on Thursday when Syrian rebels began targeting the peacekeeping forces. The United Nations Security Council has condemned the assaults on international troops, and has demanded the unconditional release of those still in captivity.