Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


                       Syrian Rebels Free Lebanese Troops

   by VOA News

   An al-Qaida-linked group in Syria tied to missing United Nations
   peacekeepers released five Lebanese hostages on Saturday.

   The four soldiers and one police officer were abducted in early August,
   when Syria-based militants clashed with security forces in Lebanon.

   Three groups, including Al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group, are
   holding another 15 Lebanese soldiers and 14 police captive.

   The release came hours after a video posted to social media showed the
   beheading of a Lebanese soldier by Islamic State militants. The
   extremist group decapitated American journalist James Foley and shared
   similar gruesome footage on the Internet earlier this month.

   Al-Nusra Front is one of the groups the U.N. says is involved in
   ongoing violence against its peacekeepers in the Israeli-occupied Golan
   Heights.

   The soldiers at one [1]U.N. camp came under heavy mortar and machine
   gun fire on Saturday. Thirty-two Philippine peacekeepers, whose camp
   had been surrounded since Thursday, made it to safety. Forty more
   remain confined to their base by rebel groups. There were no immediate
   reports of casualties.

   Islamist fighters also are holding a contingent of 44 Fijian
   peacekeepers taken two days ago.

   A U.N. spokesman said on Saturday that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is
   calling for the "unconditional and immediate release" of peacekeeping
   forces.

   Some information for this report comes from AP and Reuters.
     __________________________________________________________________

   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-rebels-free-lebanese-soldiers/
   2433636.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/peackeepers-militants-fight-in-golan-heights/2433131.html
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/syrian-rebels-free-lebanese-soldiers/2433636.html