Syrian army, rebels clash in Golan Heights

Syrian army forces and rebels clashed on the Golan Heights earlier today, with witnesses saying that persistent small arms fire and explosions from mortar shells and other munitions could be heard on the Israeli-controlled side of the frontier of the strategic plateau.

Rebels of al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front have been battling the Syrian army in the area and have wrested control of the crossing at Quneitra, which is operated by the United Nations.

On Sunday, Israel's military said it shot down a drone that flew from Syria into Israeli-controlled airspace over the Golan. It was not immediately clear who dispatched the unmanned aircraft or the nature of its mission.

In related news from the area, more than 70 Filipino U.N. peacekeepers are now safely away from Islamist militants in the Golan Heights as clashes continue against al-Qaeda-linked Syrian rebels, according to the Philippine military.

Thirty-two peacekeepers were rescued after militants surrounded their camp, trapping them for two days, activists and officials said.