The UN says it deplores the capture of 43 Fijian peacekeepers in the Syrian Golan Heights by an armed group, calling for their “immediate release”.

Fiji’s interim leader Frank Bainimarama says talks are under way to negotiate the release of the hostages.

The UN peacekeepers were detained near Quneitra, during heavy fighting between Syrian rebels and government forces.

Meanwhile, the Philippines says 75 of its peacekeepers remain in a tense standoff with rebels in the same area.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) base is surrounded by militants but the Philippine peacekeepers have refused to surrender, army spokesman Gen Domingo Tutaan Junior confirmed on Friday.

It is not yet clear which armed group is holding the peacekeepers.

Activists say the gunmen include members of the al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s offshoot in Syria.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned on Thursday “the restriction of movement of Undof peacekeepers by armed elements of the opposition in two positions in the vicinity of al-Ruwayhina and Burayqa”.

The UN Security Council also “demanded the unconditional and immediate release of all the detained United Nations peacekeepers,” in a statement.

Fijian Commander Brig Gen Mosese Tikoitoga said the 43 peacekeepers currently being detained were believed to be alive and unharmed.

“I want to assure the families of the soldiers we are doing everything possible to secure their safe return,” Bainimarama said on Friday, adding that talks had begun to secure their release.

Three vehicles with some 150 armed rebels approached the Fijian camp early on Thursday and took the peacekeepers briefly to an undisclosed location before transporting them back to their original post, Brig Gen Tikoitoga said.

The Philippines military said the rebels had encircled its camp with the Fijians in tow, and demanded the Filipino peacekeepers surrender their weapons, which they refused to do.