Aust offers its intelligence resources to help track down detained Fijian soldiers

Australia has offered its intelligence resources to help the United Nations track down the 45 Fijian UN peacekeepers kidnapped by al‑Qaeda linked terrorists in Syria.

They have been missing since Thursday and their whereabouts is unknown.

Channel 9 News reports that Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop discussed the situation with UN Secretary General Ban ki‑Moon at a summit in Samoa, and has offered Australia's support to rescue the captured peacekeepers.

She said Australia is providing whatever support it can, including its intelligence resources, to assist the UN.

Bishop has also assured Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola that Australia would use its seat on the UN Security Council to monitor the situation.

The UN has been monitoring the Golan Heights since a ceasefire between Syria and Israel in 1974.

434 Fijians are serving in the Golan Heights.

Meanwhile, the Al-Nusra Front rebels have placed their demand on the table for the release of the 45 Fijian soldiers.

Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Brigadier General Mosese Tikoitoga confirms that the rebels have made three demands.

The demands are that Al-Nusra be removed from the terrorist list, humanitarian assistance to be provided to their village Ruta which is located outside Damascus and to compensate for their three casualties during the confrontation with the UN peacekeepers last week.

Tikoitoga said the UN Headquarters has confirmed that a professional negotiation team from New York is now in Syria.

He added that the UN Headquarters has assured them that it will bring all its resources to bear to ensure the safe return of our soldiers.

Tikoitoga also said that the location of our soldiers is still unknown but the rebels have assured them that the soldiers are well looked after.

Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has been in constant contact with UN officials, foreign leaders and diplomats, who he said share Fiji’s absolute commitment to resolving the situation and bringing our soldiers home safely.

Bainimarama assures everyone that the full weight of the international community is behind Fiji.

The Prime Minister has also spoken with the Secretary‑General of the United Nations, Ban Ki‑moon, who has reassured Bainimarama that the UN is bringing all of its available resources to the negotiating table.