Kazakhstan awards UN medals to peacekeepers in Golan Heights mission

Kazakh peacekeepers serving in the Golan Heights have been awarded United Nations medals for exemplary service, with all 139 members of the current contingent receiving the distinction, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defence.

The medals were presented by Major General Anita Asma, commander of the UN mission, in recognition of the troops’ contribution to maintaining stability in the disputed territory between Syria and Israel, Caliber.Az reports per the ministry. 

The Kazakh contingent is deployed at Fawwar base as part of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which monitors the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights. The force operates under a UN mandate to supervise the disengagement agreement and help prevent escalation in the sensitive border area.

According to the Ministry of Defence, since April 2025 the contingent has conducted 55 operational tasks, during which personnel cleared more than 1,200 explosive remnants of war and over 50 improvised explosive devices. Since the start of the mission, Kazakhstan’s second rotation has completed a total of 675 assignments.

In addition to demining activities, Kazakh peacekeepers are responsible for securing and reinforcing UN facilities, patrolling their area of responsibility, and liaising with local communities to support stability.

Kazakhstan deployed its first independent peacekeeping contingent to the Golan Heights in March 2024, marking an expanded role for the Central Asian nation in UN peacekeeping operations.

By Sabina Mammadli