 "Indian army may return home from Syria, UN issues code black…")
The United Nations created a buffer zone in the Golan Heights in 1974 by drawing the Blue Line and the Red Line between Syria and Israel. A ceasefire agreement was implemented on the border between Syria and Israel. After the fall of the Assad government in Syria, the Syrian army has vacated its posts. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has occupied the area by sending its army to the buffer zone built for 50 years. In such a situation, the buffer zone itself has been abolished by unilaterally ending the 50-year-old ceasefire agreement. That is, in a way it would be considered a violation of the UN resolution.
The Syrian checkpoints where the Syrian army was stationed have been captured. Indian Army is also stationed in that area at present. According to army sources, a total of 145 soldiers including 10 officers, 11 JCOs and 124 soldiers are currently deployed in the Indian Army. According to sources, currently the United Nations has issued an alert level code black, that is, it is the highest level of alert. According to military sources, the UN contingency plan is ready and the UN is currently in a “wait and see” mode. It is the responsibility of the Indian Army to secure that buffer zone under the UN mandate. Only after the decision of the United Nations, the next route of the mission will be decided from there.
Code Black in the 80 km long and 200 m wide buffer zone:
After a cease-fire between Israel and Syria in 1974, the United Nations deployed its peacekeeping force in an area 80 kilometers long and 200 meters wide. According to the official information released by UNDOF, a total of 1220 troops are deployed in 13 countries. In which currently 57 staff officers, 47 civilian international staff and 1116 TCC battalion personnel are posted. It is deployed under UNDOF i.e. United Nations Disengaged Observer Force. The task assigned to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force was to maintain a ceasefire between the two countries. Its task is to monitor the disengagement between Israeli and Syrian forces and to monitor the entire area defined in the UN 1974 ceasefire agreement.
Indian Army has been stationed there since 2006 but now the ground situation is different. Now that Israel has lifted the ceasefire and entered the buffer zone with its tanks, all procedures are being re-examined. Surprisingly, Israel did some construction work near the buffer zone just last month, in violation of the agreement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself visited the Israel-Syria border.
Israel probably knew that a rebellion was imminent in Syria and that in such a situation a large number of terrorist Lebanese or rebels could attack. Therefore, Israel has completed its preparations to save the Golan Heights taken from Syria. However, no statement has yet been issued on Israel’s action and Indian army deployment will continue until the UN says no.