The Israeli navy introduced Sunday the deployment of forces to a demilitarized buffer zone close to the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights after anti-regime forces captured the Syrian capital Damascus.
Israel had already mentioned the day earlier than, because the Syrian opposition forces swiftly superior throughout Syria, that its troopers had entered the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone to allegedly help peacekeepers in repelling an assault.
On Sunday, the military introduced a troop deployment there, claiming “the possible entry of armed individuals into the buffer zone.”
“Following the recent events in Syria … the IDF (army) has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in several other places necessary for its defense, to ensure the safety of the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel,” a navy assertion mentioned.
Israeli forces “will continue to operate as long as necessary in order to preserve the buffer zone and defend Israel,” it added.
The assertion careworn that the Israeli navy “is not interfering with the internal events in Syria.”
Since the anti-regime coalition, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), started its renewed offensive towards the forces of Bashar Assad on Nov. 27, Syrian authorities forces have left positions close to the Israeli-held Golan, in keeping with a struggle monitor.
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, mentioned Saturday that military forces had withdrawn from positions in Quneitra province, which incorporates a part of the Golan Heights.
Most of the plateau has been occupied since 1967 by Israel, which later annexed it in a transfer not acknowledged by a lot of the worldwide neighborhood.
In 1974 the buffer zone was established, separating the Israeli-held and Syrian territories, with U.N. peacekeepers stationed there since.
A U.N. Peacekeeping spokesperson mentioned Saturday that UNDOF personnel had noticed “unidentified armed individuals in the area of separation, including approximately 20 who went into one of the mission’s positions in the northern part of the area of separation.”
The Israeli military mentioned it was “assisting the U.N. forces in repelling the attack.”
The U.N. spokesperson mentioned that “peacekeepers continue to carry out their mandated activities on the Golan.”
On Sunday, Lebanese media retailers reported an Israeli strike on Quneitra focusing on an arms depot. The Israeli navy declined to remark.
Source: www.dailysabah.com