Israel carried out 280 armed incursions into southern Syria in September, the highest monthly number recorded since the beginning of the year, and 49 Syrians remain in Israeli detention, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said. The UN office said it couldn’t independently verify the reported detention figure, which came from information it had received.
Incursions and detention claims
A statement from Turk’s office said released detainees alleged torture and ill-treatment during detention. They described beatings, prolonged forced standing and threats against their families. The office attributed the claims to released detainees; it didn’t say it had independently verified them.
The office said open-source monitoring indicated that the reported incursions included raids on homes, restrictions on movement, harassment and intimidation of civilians, arbitrary detention and destruction of livelihoods. It called on Israeli authorities to halt such actions. Turk’s office urged them to “cease actions that harass or intimidate civilians in Syrian villages, including raids, restrictions on freedom of movement, detention and destruction of crops”.
The 280 incursions marked the highest monthly total recorded since the beginning of the year, according to the UN high commissioner. The statement also cited alleged effects on residents, including restrictions on movement and destruction of livelihoods. The office said its account of the figures and incidents drew on open-source monitoring and information it had received.
Fortifications and the Golan Heights
Syria accused Israel of building major military fortifications in Syrian territory along the occupied Golan Heights. The Syrian Foreign Ministry said Israel was working to complete its “Sufa 53 Line” and called the work a violation of previous agreements.
The Syrian government described the fortifications as a breach of agreements. The report didn’t provide an Israeli response to the allegation. Israeli incursions near the Golan Heights have increased this year, according to the account.
Israeli troops crossed into southern Syria and areas west of Damascus soon after rebel forces led by current President Ahmad Al Shara ousted the regime of Bashar Al Assad in December 2024. Israeli forces occupied parts of those regions, the report said. It gave no further details about the locations or size of the areas occupied.
Talks over a peace deal
The United States, which backs Syria’s current rulers, has supervised several meetings between Israeli and Syrian officials aimed at negotiating a peace deal. Discussions covered halting Israeli attacks on Syria and returning Israeli forces to the 1974 armistice line adjacent to the Golan Heights.
The meetings came amid the reported increase in Israeli incursions near the Golan Heights and Syria’s accusation over the planned fortifications. The stated subjects were ending Israeli attacks on Syria and the position of Israeli forces relative to the armistice line. The UN office, meanwhile, urged Israeli authorities to stop actions it said harassed or intimidated civilians in Syrian villages.