All Philippine Golan peacekeepers safe, Fijis’ location unknown

The UN says all 70 Philippine Golan observers are safe. Forty fled Saturday night after a seven-hour shootout with the Nusra Front. The first group of 34 Filipino troops was rescued earlier and crossed the border into Israel. The 44 Fijian observers seized last week are being held at an unknown location by the Islamists, who claim they are being treated well and have released a photo of the group. The UN is negotiating their release, reportedly with Qatar assisting as broker. The Islamists abducted UN Disengagement and Observation troops policing the Syrian Golan buffer strip last week, after seizing control of the Quneitra crossing into Israel
In Syria, three Islamist groups, including Nusra and Islamic State, are holding 15 Lebanese soldiers and 14 police captive after a clash with security forces in Lebanon in early August. Five were released Saturday, after a video was posted showing the beheading of a Lebanese soldier.