Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on August 11 that its troops had arrested an “arms dealer” overnight in the town of Trinjeh inside the buffer zone adjacent to the Golan Heights in southern Syria.
The raid was conducted by the 226th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade, with support from field investigators in Military Intelligence’s Unit 504, the military said in a statement, adding that the arrest followed intelligence leads and prior surveillance. Weapons discovered in the area were seized, and the suspect was taken in for questioning.
According to the IDF, forces remain deployed in the sector to block the entrenchment of “terrorist elements” in Syria and safeguard residents of Israel, particularly in the Golan Heights.
On August 3, a similar raid was announced by the IDF. Israeli troops questioned several suspected arms dealers in the town of Hader and seized weapons.
The IDF invaded the buffer zone just a few hours after the fall of the regime of former president Bahsar al-Assad last December. It then went on to destroy much of the country’s military capabilities. Despite these acts, the new Islamist-led interim government in Syria is engaged in talks with Israel.
Senior Israeli officials have openly stated that it will turn southern Syria into a de-militarized zone. In line with this police, the IDF intervened last month when the government deployed heavy weapons during a battle with Druze fighters in the southern governorate of al-Suwayda.
Later on August 8, the IDF said that one of its drones struck a pickup-mounted heavy machine gun in southern Syria to enforce the police.
Click to see full-size image. (Israeli Defense Forces)
All in all, Syria’s new rulers continue to prioritize diplomacy with Israel, while working to subdue any opposition inside the country, especially from minorities. This appears to be encouraging Israel to get more involved in the country, for example by expanding its influence in the south.
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