An unidentified armed group in Syria has captured 43 U.N. peacekeeping troops in the area of the Golan Heights and has also surrounded another 81 troops in the area. The international community has demanded the immediate release of the troops.

The Golan Heights, a strip of land between Syria and Israel, has been a contested area between the two nations since 1973, when Israel remained in control of part of the Golan. The U.N. maintains a peacekeeping force known as the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the region between the two nations since 1974 to prevent conflict, according to the UNDOF website.

According to the Associated Press, the 43 troops being held hostage are from Fiji while the 81 troops surrounded by the unknown rebel group are from the Philippines. Both the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the U.N. Security Council condemned the kidnapping in separate statements.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the detention of forty-three peacekeepers from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) by armed elements of the opposition in the vicinity of Al Qunaytirah, in the area of separation in the Golan. The Secretary-General calls for the immediate release of these peacekeepers," the statement said.

The statement also "condemns the restriction of movement of UNDOF peacekeepers by armed elements of the opposition in two positions in the vicinity of Ar Ruwayhinah and Burayqah."

The Security Council expressed similar sentiments but added a call for help from countries with sway among the rebels.

"They called upon countries with influence to strongly convey to the armed members of the opposition in the UNDOF area of operation to immediately release the peacekeepers," the statement said, adding that no military personnel is to be present in the "area of separation."

Following the statements by the U.N., the U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, released her own statement condemning the incident. However, none of the statements specified what group has captured the U.N. forces. Among those present in the area are the Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate in the region, according to the BBC. It could be a possibility that they or ISIS have taken the U.N. troops.