Indian UN peacekeepers in Syria brace for evacuation if crisis escalates
Amid the volatile situation in Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, Indian Army personnel deployed as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) peacekeeping have been put on high alert. The troops are reportedly devising multiple plans, including evacuation, if the situation escalates.
A total of 21 Indian officers and 124 jawans are stationed in the region to support the UN mission. According to sources who spoke to India Today, contingency plans for their evacuation are being prepared as the situation evolves, with the possibility of relocating Indian troops to neighbouring Israel if the security situation deteriorates further.
The Indian Army is in constant communication with the UN to ensure the safety of its personnel, the sources added.
Following a UN advisory aimed at reducing exposure to potential conflict, soldiers have been instructed to remain within controlled zones to minimise risk.
Sources also stated that India cannot unilaterally decide on the movement of its contingent and is therefore maintaining regular contact with the UN to assess the situation and coordinate the potential evacuation of its forces.
The UNDOF mission, operational since June 1974, is tasked with maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and Syria, supervising the disengagement of their forces, and ensuring compliance with agreed limitations on armaments.
The mission operates within an Area of Separation (AOS)–a demilitarised zone approximately 80 kilometres long and varying in width from 200 meters in the south to 8 kilometres in the north. This zone, dominated by the hilly terrain of Mount Hermon, includes the highest UN position at an altitude of 2,814 meters. Indian troops are deployed across critical sectors of this area, which is divided into three operational zones.
