United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

Current Context : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has paid tributes to Brigadier General Amitabh Jha of India, who was serving with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) at Golan Heights.

About United Nations Disengagement Observer Force:

• Established: 31 May 1974 by UN Security Council Resolution 350 after the disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria.
• Objective : Maintain ceasefire, supervise the demilitarized buffer zone, and monitor restrictions on troops and equipment in the Golan Heights.
• Renewal: Mandate extended every six months, currently valid until June 2025.
• India’s Role: One of the top three troop and police contributors.
• Headquarters: Camp Faouar, Golan Heights.

About Golan Heights

• Location: Overlooks the upper Jordan River valley; Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967.
• Borders: Jordan River and Sea of Galilee (west), Mount Hermon (north), Wadi Al-Ruqqād (east), Yarmūk River (south).
• Significance: Strategic military importance and a focal point of Israel-Syria conflict.