On Wednesday, the Irish Peace Force withdrew from its positions in the Quneitra countryside and the Yarmouk Basin, located within the Syria-Israel disengagement zone, according to private sources confirmed by Sowt al-Asima.
The withdrawal consisted of a convoy of ten cars belonging to the Irish Peace Force departing from points in the Quneitra countryside. Approximately half an hour later, another convoy of nine cars carrying around 50 members followed suit, heading towards the capital, Damascus.
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Key locations where the Peace Force had been stationed included Hader, JJubata, al-Hurriya, al-Hamidiya, Khan Arnaba, Jabba, Bariqa, Bir al-Ajam, Ruwaihina, Quneitra, al-Qahtaniyah, Kodna, al-Rafid, Ghadeer al-Bustan, al-Muallaqa, Jamla, Nafaa, and Ain Dhikr.
Irish media reports from Tuesday, March 5th, indicated that the peace force was preparing to withdraw from the Golan Heights in early April, following the government’s decision to cease contributing personnel to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force.
A substantial amount of equipment, valued at around €23 million and comprising approximately 280,000 pieces, is scheduled to be transported to Ireland by sea. This includes 14 Mowag armoured personnel carriers, each weighing 20 tonnes.
Colonel Oliver Claire, the commander of the Irish Peace Force in the Syrian Golan, noted in February that tensions along the Syria-Israel border had escalated significantly since the commencement of the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in October.
Since their deployment to Syria five months prior as part of the 68th Infantry group, the Irish Peace Force has been compelled to seek shelter in fortified locations on four occasions due to the volatile situation in the region.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
