Israeli forces have been carrying out a growing number of operations across southwest Syria in recent weeks. 35 distinct incursions were documented against Quneitra and Daraa Governorates in the past week alone. That’s attracting a lot of attention and some journalists.
Multiple journalists were covering the incursions from the villages of Bir Ajam and al-Buriqa, in central Quneitra. Israeli troops opened fire on the journalists tracking their activities, sending them scattering. No casualties were reported there.
Some of the journalists, including the one from Shafaq News, reported that they were pursued by the Israeli troops, and that IDF drones were seen overhead tracking their movements. Given Israel’s long-documented history of deliberately attacking and killing journalists, this is shaping up to be a difficult region to cover on the ground, particularly with the IDF increasingly active in the area.
Israeli troops overlooking southwest Syrian territory | Image from SOHR
In the Bir Ajam area, the troops were also reported to have opened fire on and wounded a shepherd operating near the woodland. Shepherds and other agricultural workers make up a large portion on Quneitra’s economy and their activities are under increasingly restrictions.
Further north in Quneitra, near Jbata al-Khashab, Israeli troops were also establishing military checkpoints, and confronting civilians traveling along the roads. They also reportedly searched everyone attempting to enter Jbata al-Khashab. No detentions have been confirmed.
Jbata al-Khashab is also heavily dependent of agriculture, both from surrounding farmland and from a nearby forest. The IDF has been using military bulldozers to level the forest in some areas, as part of an effort to create a trench line through the entire region.
