Israeli forces detain four in Quneitra during new incursions into southern Syria

DAMASCUS — Israeli forces carried out new incursions in southern Syria on Saturday, detaining four people in Quneitra province and advancing into western Daraa, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA, as reported by Arab News.

SANA said military vehicles entered several areas of Quneitra, searched civilian homes and detained people who were heading to farmland. The Israeli military has not commented in the material reviewed by Zenga News.

In the northern Quneitra countryside, several Israeli vehicles advanced west of the village of Taranja, SANA reported. Two people were detained as they walked toward farmland west of the village.

In the southern countryside, a force of more than 10 vehicles entered the Al-Razzaniyah and Abu Madhra farm areas, according to the same report. The force searched several homes and detained two people. One was released after several hours, and the force then withdrew.

Separately, two Israeli military vehicles moved into Wadi Al-Raqad in the western Daraa countryside, SANA said. It added that Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew over the western Yarmouk Basin.

Earlier incidents

The incursions followed an Israeli advance on Friday into an area west of Al-Razaniyah farm in Quneitra, according to Arab News, citing SANA. Israeli forces fired toward shepherds to stop them grazing their livestock, then withdrew.

SANA has also reported that Israeli forces previously entered the town of Abdeen in the Yarmouk Basin area of western Daraa and surrounded it.

In a post on Telegram, Al Arabiya said Israeli forces had bulldozed land in southern Syria and set up a checkpoint to obstruct residents. The post is unverified, and the material available does not give details of the location or date.

Reactions

Arab News said Israel has expanded earthworks along what it calls the "Sufa 53 Line" in Quneitra. The work involves enlarging earth berms and digging trenches inside Syrian territory near the disengagement line.

Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait have condemned the project, according to Arab News. The three countries called for international action to enforce the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and to make Israel end its occupation of Syrian land.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry has said the construction and continuing Israeli military operations violate the agreement and relevant international resolutions. It has warned that the actions threaten regional security and stability, Arab News reported.

Background

The 1974 agreement set up a ceasefire and a UN-monitored area of separation between Israeli-controlled and Syrian-controlled territory after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

Arab News described the latest events as part of a continuing pattern of Israeli military activity inside southern Syria. It listed incursions into villages and farmland, raids on homes, detentions, land clearing and shelling.

Syria has repeatedly demanded that Israeli forces withdraw from its territory. Damascus says Israeli measures there are null and void under international law. It has also urged the international community to take effective steps to compel Israel to withdraw fully from southern Syria.

The accounts of Saturday's incidents come from Syrian state media. Zenga News could not independently verify them.