IOF encroach on Quneitra, set up checkpoint, arrest youth
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Israeli occupation forces briefly set up a checkpoint near Al-Rafid in Quneitra, detaining a civilian before withdrawing to their Tal Ahmar occupation base.
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Syrian soldiers raise the Syrian national flag in front of the Syrian Defense Ministry building, which was heavily damaged by Israeli airstrikes last Wednesday, in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, July 19, 2025 (AP)
Israeli occupation forces set up a temporary checkpoint on Monday, north of the village of Al-Rafid in the southern countryside of Quneitra, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
The observatory further noted that the Israeli forces searched individuals passing through the area and detained a young man before withdrawing and returning to their base of operations at Tal Ahmar in the west.
In a related development, an Israeli military force consisting of ten armored vehicles advanced into the outskirts of the village of 'Ayn Ziwan in the Quneitra countryside, while reconnaissance aircraft were observed operating in the skies above the area.
Incursions ongoing
Previously, on September 5, a convoy of three Israeli military vehicles advanced from the town of Khan Arnaba toward the road connecting to Ofanya before ultimately turning in the direction of the village of al-Hurriyah in the southern Syrian countryside of Quneitra.
This latest incursion follows an Israeli ground operation into Syrian territory the previous day, which involved six military vehicles entering the village of al-Samadaniyah in central Quneitra's countryside and establishing an inspection checkpoint in the area.
Talks faltering
This comes amid repeated meetings between the Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Gideon Sa'ar, which are failing to produce an agreement between the two parties.
According to an i24News report, while there has been some progress in the negotiations, it has been slow, with the report noting that the talks are not maturing at all despite the intensive involvement of US President Donald Trump.
According to the report, which cited an Israeli diplomatic source, the prospect of a deal being signed during the upcoming UN General Assembly in two weeks, a timeline previously hoped for by American officials, is unlikely, confirming that a meeting in New York between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Syria's transitional government, Ahmad al-Sharaa, is not currently planned.
During a press conference in Damascus on September 10 with his Croatian counterpart, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani affirmed that the Israeli attacks on Syria and Qatar represent a blatant violation of international law.
This came after Israeli fighter jets conducted air raids on the countryside of Homs from northern Lebanese airspace, an action subsequently confirmed by Syria’s official news agency, SANA, noting that the Israeli strike also targeted areas in the vicinity of Homs city.
Al-Shaibani asserted that regional stability is unattainable as long as Israeli assaults continue, calling on the international community to hold "Israel" accountable for these violations.
