United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone - UNDOF

UNDOF

The initial composition of the UNDOF in 1974 was of personnel from Austria, Peru, Canada and Poland. Today, about a thousand troops are provided by Austria, India, Japan, Philippines, and Croatia. The troops are assisted by military observers from the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization's Observer Group Golan, international and local civilian staff.

The UNDOF is deployed within and close to the zone with two base camps, 44 permanently manned position and 11 observation posts. The operation headquarters are located at Camp Faouar and an office is maintained at Damascus. The Austrian battalion and a Croatian company is deployed in the north; while the Filipino battalion is deployed in the south with its base camp in Camp Ziouani. The Indian and Japanese logistic units perform second-line general transport tasks, rotation transport, control and management of goods received by the Force, and maintenance of heavy equipment. First-line logistic support is internal to the contingents and includes transport of supplies to the positions.

On 13th August 2012, Major General Iqbal Singh Singha of India took over as Head of Mission and Force Commander from Major-General Natalio Cabili Ecarma III of The Philippines. Mine clearance is conducted by both battalions directed from the UNDOF headquarters. The annual (07/2011 - 06/2012) approved operating budget is 50,526,100 USD, representing less than 1% of the UN peacekeeping budget.

As of 2006, there have been 42 fatalities including one civilian staff since 1974. On 9 August 1974, a Canadian Buffalo transport aircraft was on a routine re-supply flight, from Beirut to Damascus for Canadian peacekeepers in the Golan Heights. Flight 51 was carrying five crew members and four passengers; Capt G.G Foster, Capt K.B. Mirau, Capt R.B. Wicks, MWO G. Landry, A/MWO C.B. Korejwo, MCpl R.C Spencer, Cpl M.H.T. Kennington, Cpl M.W. Simpson and Cpl B.K. Stringer. All were members of the Canadian Forces. At 11:50, while on final approach into Damascus, the aircraft went down in the outskirts of the Syrian town of Ad Dimas killing all on board. This remains the largest single-day loss of life in Canada’s peace-keeping history.