LONDON: Non-lethal military equipment sent to help Syrian opposition forces could fall into the hands of terrorists, MPs have warned.

Labour's Dennis Skinner said William Hague sounded like Tony Blair as the Foreign Secretary explained the Govern-ment's decision to send armoured vehicles and body armour to rebels trying to overthrow President Bashar Assad's brutal regime.

Tory MP John Baron "urged caution" following reports from human rights groups that atrocities were being committed by both government and opposition forces.

Following Mr Hague's Commons statement, Labour MP John Cryer said: "I have heard many statements like this and most of the time we end up being involved in a quagmire from which we cannot extricate ourselves."

The Foreign Secretary said Britain was helping Syria out of a quagmire. He said: "We can't turn aside requests for assis-tance but I am always willing to debate it."

At this point, Mr Skinner shouted: "You sound like Blair" – a reference to former Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to send British troops to Iraq.

The debate came as a group linked to the Syrian opposition detained more than 20 UN peace-keepers on the Golan Heights.

It came on the day that a group of armed fighters linked to the Syrian opposition detained more than 20 UN peacekeepers in the increasingly volatile zone separating Israeli and Syrian troops on the Golan Heights.

The UN Security Council demanded their immediate release.