Israeli forces raid Syrian military barracks in Quneitra: SOHR

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
Today 12:39

Israeli occupation forces launched multiple incursions into Syria’s Quneitra countryside, again violating the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement and Syrian sovereignty.

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Israeli occupation soldiers load on a truck a Syrian tank inside the buffer zone near the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria, viewed from the town of Majdal Shams, on December 21, 2024. (AP)

Israeli occupation forces carried out simultaneous incursions into southern Syria’s Quneitra countryside, violating Syrian sovereignty and the separation of forces arrangements in the demilitarized zone, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Tuesday.

According to the SOHR, one Israeli force advanced into a barracks belonging to an artillery company of the 90th Brigade in the village of Al‑Kum, Quneitra countryside. Within the facility, Israeli troops conducted search operations before withdrawing toward the Al-Salam Highway. During the operation, occupation forces also deployed a mobile checkpoint along the Al-Kum–Khan Arnabah road, stopping and searching civilians. No detentions of Syrian civilians have been confirmed so far.

Another Israeli force, comprised of four tanks and several transport vehicles, moved out of the Al‑Hamidiya base toward the village of Ofaniya in the northern Quneitra countryside, coinciding with unmanned aerial‐vehicle activity in the area.

Additionally, the occupation's military personnel operated near the western town of Al‑Samdaniyah al‑Gharbiyah, advancing from the destroyed city of Quneitra, inside the demilitarized zone. This patrol utilized two tanks and three military vehicles, traversing agricultural land before returning to their positions.

Persistent Israeli violations

These incursions represent a direct violation of Syrian sovereignty. They also amount to breaches of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement and the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which was established to monitor compliance with the demilitarized buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Syrian Observatory has repeatedly called on the UN and international forces to act to prevent such violations and hold the Israeli occupation forces accountable for repeated incursions.

These events build on a sequence of Israeli operations and attacks in southern Syria, especially the Quneitra region, which include drone flights, tank incursions, bulldozing operations within the separation zone, and ad-hoc checkpoints. It is worth noting that transitional authorities in Damascus held extensive talks with Israeli officials in an attempt to reach a security agreement.

Tel Aviv continues to demand the demilitarization of the entire Syrian south, citing alleged security concerns, though current authorities have yet to respond militarily to dozens of strikes, including ones that targeted the Syrian General Staff Command and Defense Ministry buildings twice, as well as the presidential palace.