Escalation of Tensions in Southern Syria

A dangerous escalation in southern Syria over

the past 24 hours, as the Israeli enemy

continues its incursions and imposes restrictions on

civilians' movement, blocks roads, and encroaches on

agricultural land, amid the silence of the authority of

armed groups controlling Syria.

In central Quneitra’s countryside, an Israeli enemy patrol

consisting of a tank and around 20 armed personnel

pointed their weapons at a resident of al-Hamidiyah,

preventing him from entering his village at gunpoint.

The patrol also stopped several passersby and prevented them from

passing, while a tank remained stationed in front of

the old governorate building in Madinat al-Salam,

blocking the road connecting al-Hamidiyah to the

outskirts of the city, a dangerous development that raises

concerns about freedom of movement within the center of

Quneitra Governorate and raises serious questions

about the limits of military

and security control in the area.

We can no longer reach our land as we did before.

Yes, at the same time, sometimes they assault the shepherds,

Some days they take them, some days they abduct them, and delay them a lot.

Not to mention that they come to us at midnight, sometimes.

It is humiliating for some people.

These movements coincided with Israeli reconnaissance aircraft

flying over Jasim

and Tal in the Daraa countryside, and the Beit Jinn area

and its farms in the Damascus countryside.

In southern Quneitra, enemy forces bulldozed nearly

13 dunams of agricultural land

and uprooted around 300 olive trees in

Sayd al-Hanout, threatening the livelihoods of

farmers and compounding the damage inflicted

on residents. Amid the ongoing incursions

and attacks, male and female activists and civil society

organizations issued a statement condemning what they described

as killing, displacement, abduction, and attacks on

property, as well as expansion in the buffer zone

and repeated flights by Israeli enemy aircraft.

The signatories called for peaceful popular and civil action

in five Syrian governorates under the slogan:

The Syrian south is not a stage for your elections,

calling for intensified political

human rights and diplomatic action, and documenting

violations. As grassroots activities expand,

questions mount over the absence of an effective stance

from the armed groups' authority, and Syrians' ability

to turn peaceful protest into

national pressure to stop violations and safeguard

sovereignty and residents' rights.