Media: Israeli forces set up temporary checkpoint in southern Syria

An Israeli army patrol entered the village of al-Samadaniyya al-Sharqiya in Syria’s central Al Qunaitra countryside early on the morning of September 20, where it established a temporary checkpoint, according to a correspondent from Syria TV.

Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli soldiers set up the checkpoint at the western entrance to the town, stopping several civilian vehicles and inspecting the identity cards of passengers. While no arrests were reported as of the time of publication, local sources indicated that soldiers conducted thorough searches of individuals passing through the area.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of Israeli military activity in southern Syria in recent days. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces have reportedly entered multiple areas in the Daraa and Qunaitra countryside. In one instance, a shepherd was detained for several hours before being released without charges.

On the evening of September 19, local sources reported that a convoy of four Israeli armoured vehicles advanced into the buffer zone between the towns of Ma’ariyah and Abdeen, located in the Yarmouk Valley Basin in western Daraa countryside.

Amid these developments, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa commented on the state of negotiations between Syria and Israel. He stated that reaching some form of security agreement with Israel is ultimately inevitable, but he expressed deep skepticism about Israel's willingness to honour such an agreement. Al-Sharaa emphasised that while Syria is capable of fighting, it does not seek war, and described the recent unrest in the southern city of Suwayda as a "premeditated trap" that occurred just as talks with Israel were nearing a conclusion.

By Sabina Mammadli