Fiji backs away from earlier statement about peacekeepers’ pending release

SUVA, Fiji – Fiji may have jumped the gun by announcing today that its 45 United Nations peacekeepers who are being held captive by Syrian insurgents would be freed soon.

The South Pacific nation later tried to retract the comments, but by then they had been reported around the world.

At a news conference in Suva today, Fiji’s military chief said Fiji had been told by U.N. headquarters in New York the Nusra Front had agreed to release the men later this week without any conditions or demands.

Brig. Gen. Mosese Tikoitoga said three senior Fijian military officers would arrive soon in the Golan Heights to receive the men. Fiji’s government also announced the news on social media. But within hours, the messages had been deleted and the government had replaced them with: “All efforts to release the Fijian peacekeepers are continuing.”