Philippines: Syrian Rebels Did Not Release Peacekeepers

The Philippine government says the Syrian rebels who had promised to release 21 Filipino U.N. peacekeepers have failed to do so, and persist in their demands for Syrian government forces moving out of the area in south Syria, near Israel's border.

The 21 peacekeepers were captured on Wednesday outside the Syrian village of Jamlah, only a mile or so from the Israeli Golan Heights, where the U.N. force was in charge of monitoring the 1973 cease-fire line between Israel and Syria.

Raul Hernandez, spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, told AP the rebels had been expected to release their captives early Friday.