Israel advances in Quneitra, arrests civilian
Shafaq News – Quneitra
Israeli troops detained a bus carrying civilians in northern Quneitra, southwestern Syria, local sources told Shafaq News on Monday.
The bus was stopped near Jbata al-Khashab at the al-Makasir junction, where soldiers held passengers for nearly an hour before releasing them and arresting one individual. Earlier, Israeli forces advanced between the villages of al-Ajraf and al-Samadaniyah al-Sharqiyah, setting up a temporary checkpoint with four military vehicles.
According to a local source cited by Al Jazeera, about ten military vehicles advanced yesterday into the village of al-Hanout in southern Syria’s Quneitra countryside, setting up a checkpoint between al-Hanout and Sayda al-Golan. The troops reportedly searched vehicles and residents, while an Arabic-speaking Israeli officer questioned several young men about possible weapons or security sites in the area.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated in a televised address on October 19 that forces will remain in southern Syria and around Mount Hermon, aiming to reach an agreement with Damascus to demilitarize the region and protect the Druze population.
Quneitra, bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, lies within the UN-monitored demilitarized zone established under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Israel has since maintained a military presence beyond the buffer zone, describing its incursions as defensive measures against infiltration, arms smuggling, and the buildup of Iranian or allied forces near its northern frontier.
Read more: Syria's shifting stance: Is normalization with Israel on the horizon?
