The fighting between Syrian Army and Syrian Opposition around Quneitra came to international attention when in March 2013, the al-Qaeda affiliated group Al-Nusra Front took 21 Filipino UN Disengagement Observer Force personnel hostage in the neutral buffer zone.</ref> According to a UN official, the personnel were taken hostage near Observation Post 58, which had sustained damage and been evacuated the previous weekend, following heavy combat nearby at Al Jamla. The personnel were eventually released, and returned to their base via Jordan and Israel on 12 March.