Israeli ground troops have been raiding the Yarmouk River Basin in the western part of Syria’s Daraa Governorate in growing numbers and more frequently in recent days. The restrictions placed on locals have been onerous enough to attract some international attention. Now, a fatality will add to those concerns.
The incident happened overnight Thursday in the town of Jamlah, when Israeli forces were conducting a raid against the town and identified a “suspect” while there. They decided to apprehend him, but when they got closer they decided to “remove the threat,” by which they mean they shot and killed the man.
The man, identified as Muath Salama al-Baeer, was described as a developmentally disabled man who lived in the town with his sisters following the death of his parents. Residents of the village said that al-Baeer had Down syndrome, and was unarmed at the time of the raid and did not resist.
A convoy of IDF troops advances into Daraa Governorate | Image from SOHR
The IDF has persistently described the slain man as a “suspect,” despite the apparent circumstances of his killing. They reported that the incident will be subject to further review, though details of what that will entail are uncertain.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry office issued a statement condemning the killing, saying the deliberate targeting of civilians amounted to a violation of international law. They similarly said the raid of the Syrian town in the first place was a violation of Syrian sovereignty.
Jamlah had been visited by a joint UN-Red Cross delegation only a day before this incident, regarding the growing restrictions placed on civilians by raiding Israeli forces. In particular, they were seeking testimony from farmers who had been barred from their own land by the IDF. They have yet to comment on the killing.
