United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

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

• He had recently served as acting Force Commander of UNDOF in complex circumstances, following the fall of the Assad Government in Syria.

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)

• Establishment: Established by UN Security Council Resolution 350 in 1974.
• Purpose: To supervise the ceasefire and disengagement agreement between Israeli and Syrian forces following the intensification of conflict in the Israel-Syria sector in early 1974.
• Mandate
  • Initial Role:
    • Maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Syria.
    • Supervise the disengagement agreement and separation of forces in the Golan Heights.
  • Extension:
    • The mandate is renewed every six months.
    • Currently extended until June 2025 (as per Security Council Resolution 2555 in December 2020).
• Headquarters: Camp Faouar, Syria.
• Funding: UNDOF is financed through a separate account approved annually by the UN General Assembly.
• Troop Contributions: Includes several countries, with India ranked among the top three troop and police contributors.

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About Golan Heights

• Geographical Features:
  • A hilly region overlooking the upper Jordan River valley to the west.
  • Borders:
    • West: Jordan River and Sea of Galilee.
    • North: Mount Hermon.
    • East: Seasonal Wadi Al-Ruqqād River.
    • South: Yarmūk River.
• Historical Context: A Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967 during the Six-Day War.