UN Shelters Closing As Gaza-Israeli Cease-fire Holds
LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. And you're looking at a visual version of all the stories we've got in the show today. Now we've already told you about the conflict in Ukraine. And later in the program, we'll tell you about the woman known as Lady al Qaeda. But now to the refugee crisis in Syria. Now consider this sobering reality for just a moment. The United Nations says roughly half of all Syrians have now been forced to abandon their homes. One out of eight have fled the country entirely because of the civil war that's been tearing it apart for three years. Now according to new figures, 3 million Syrians are now refugees, more than 6.5 million are displaced inside their country. The UN says before things can improve the world must take action.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the face of total impunity, grave human rights violations have become the norm in Syria. Parties to the conflict are oblivious of their obligations to protect civilians and abide by international humanitarian law. As they continue to commit terrible crimes against civilians, young and old, women and men. The perpetrators must be held accountable. The impunity must end.</s>LU STOUT: The influx of refugees is putting a huge strain on countries that have taken them in. Lebanon, is hosting more than a million Syrians right now. And the UN says Turkey has taken in more than 800,000. More than 600,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Jordan. And another 215,000 are in Iraq. Now nearly 140,000 Syrian refugees in Egypt. The U.S. is demanding the immediate and unconditional release of 43 UN peacekeepers taken hostage by Syrian rebels near the Golan Heights on Thursday. An Israeli military official says that they're being held by the al Nusra Front, an extremist group with links to al Qaeda. Now CNN's Ben Wedeman is live for us in the Golan Heights. He joins us now. And Ben, tell us about what led to the seizure of the peacekeeprs. And what is being done about it?</s>BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, their seizure, or detention by the Syrian rebels occurred on yesterday morning while there was fighting on the other side, just -- we're about 200 meters from the fence that divides the Syria -- the Israeli occupied Golan heights from Syria proper. And it was inside there, there was fighting going on, the Syrian rebels, led by the Nusra Front were able to take the other side of this crossing, the checkpoint on the other side normally occupied by Syrian forces. And we were actually able to see some of them from a distance today. They are only about 40 meters from where I'm standing. Anyway, there was fighting going on, on the other side of that fence. And that is where you have two separate placements of UN forces. One of them, a group of 43 Fijian peacekeeprs who were detained yesterday morning by -- we are told by Israeli officials -- by the Nusra Front. There's a separate group of Filipino peacekeepers who apparently are pinned down in their positions several kilometers inside Syria. There's been a lot of shelling between the Syrian army and the Syrian rebels over the last three days. Now according to the Filipino press -- and we haven't been able to confirm this with the UN -- what happened was the Syrian rebels took one of the Fijians over to the Filipino position and basically told them you must surrender your arms and your position. The Filipinos apparently refused and insist, according to reports from Manila, that they are going to hold their position and defend it with arms if that comes to it. Now we understand the UN is trying very hard to win the release of those Fijian peacekeepers as well as secure the safety of the Filipinos. But they say the problem is that there's really nobody on the other side they can talk to. If it was the Syrian regime, they could call Damascus. But as it is, there are several rebel groups operating on the other side of that fence and they don't know who to speak with -- Kristie.</s>LU STOUT: Now, Ben, in addition to keeping an eye, or keeping across the attempts to secure the release of the UN peacekeepers, you're also monitoring the battle for control of the border crossing. What is the latest word on that?</s>WEDEMAN: Well, what we've been seeing all day long are the incoming artillery and mortar rounds towards what appear to be the rebel positions. There were earlier reports that the UN had been alerted by the Syrian government. They would be launching an offensive to try to retake their side of this crucial crossing. However, other than occasional small arms fire and these artillery and mortar rounds. We haven't seen any actual movement by ground forces from the Syrian army -- Kristie.</s>LU STOUT: All right, Ben Wedeman live from the scene for the Golan Heights for us. Thank you very much indeed, Ben. You are watching News Stream. Still ahead on the program, Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano is erupting, but air travelers can breathe easy. I've got the latest from the world weather center next.