Amid Syrian turmoil: Kazakhstani peacekeepers hold ground against rebels

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defense reported on the achievements of the country’s peacekeepers currently deployed on a mission in the Golan Heights. Over the past year, the military prevented the seizure of the Fawar base and assisted in evacuating UN personnel.

In 2024, Kazakhstan’s national peacekeeping contingent was dispatched to Syria as part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force.

«This mission marks the first independent operation of peacekeepers under the flag of Kazakhstan. During their deployment at the Fawar base, the peacekeeping contingent completed 557 tasks, including monitoring compliance with the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria and evacuating military personnel from peacekeeping bases,» the ministry stated.

Additionally, troops conducted patrols, cleared unexploded ordnance and escorted UN personnel and dignitaries.

«Most notably, Kazakhstani peacekeepers carried out their first independent mission amid escalating tensions in Syria. During a period of heightened conflict in their area of responsibility, Kazakhstan’s contingent played a crucial role in reinforcing the base and preventing its seizure by rebels,» the ministry added.

The rapid response team also conducted three evacuations of senior UN staff and personnel from Damascus to the Fawar base. As a result, Kazakhstani peacekeepers received high praise from the UN.

In early 2024, Kazakhstan’s parliament approved the deployment of 430 military personnel as UN peacekeepers in the Middle East and Africa. In the spring, the Ministry of Defense sent 139 troops to serve in the Golan Heights, a disputed territory in the Middle East, largely occupied by Israel, with the eastern part under Syrian control. This marked the first time in history that Kazakhstan independently carried out a peacekeeping mission. Previously, Kazakhstani troops had only served as part of multinational units.