MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president says his government will no longer deploy peacekeepers where they face unclear missions like in the Golan Heights, where Filipino forces came under attack by insurgents.

President Benigno Aquino III said Wednesday that hundreds of Filipino peacekeepers were tasked to guard a buffer zone separating Israel and Syria. But when the current Syrian conflict spilled over and anti-government Islamic militants started attacking the Filipino and other peacekeepers, their mission became unclear and highly dangerous.

Aquino says: "Our troops cannot be deployed to help in a situation where their mission is impossible or unclear."

The Philippines decided to withdraw the peacekeepers from the Golan Heights ahead of schedule. Aquino met them Wednesday.