Latest news with #BeitJin
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Damascus Says Israel Arrested Civilians During Beit Jin Raid
A source at the Syrian Interior Ministry denied Israeli claims that its forces had arrested Palestinian Hamas members during a raid on the southern village of Beit Jin in the early hours of Thursday. The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the detainees were civilians and not affiliated with any party. Saleh Daher, a resident of Beit Jin, told Asharq Al-Awsat the Israeli soldiers entered the village at 2:40 am on Thursday. 'We were awakened by the sound of gunfire,' he revealed. A unit of dozens of soldiers were raiding the village, while ten tanks were stationed at its entrance. The forces surrounded the houses of the people they wanted to arrest, calling out their names on loudspeakers. They detained seven people, continued Daher. One person, who is known in the village for having a mental disability, attempted to stop the soldiers, who shot and killed him, he said. The soldiers left at 4:15 am after detaining the people they were after. Daher said they were all Syrian natives of the village and used to be members of armed opposition groups that rose up against the Bashar al-Assad's ousted regime. Sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat the names of the detainees: Amer al-Badawi, Mamoun al-Saadi, Ahmed al-Safadi, Mohammed al-Safadi, Hassan al-Safadi, Mohammed Badi Hamadeh and Ali Qassem Hamadeh. Daher said he and his family had returned to Beit Jin in 2018 and that they never noticed any behavior by the detainees that they were working against Israel. Israel had previously assassinated three residents of the village. They too were members of armed factions. Moreover, Daher said he hasn't noticed any activity by residents that indicate that they are members of or associated with Palestinian factions. The Israeli army said it detained Hamas members during the Beit Jin raid and that they were planning attacks against it. They have been taken to Israel for investigation. The army also said it discovered weapons in the area. Syrian media confirmed the arrest of seven people and death of one person during the raid. Since the fall of Assad's government in early December, Israeli forces have moved into several areas in southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes throughout the country, destroying much of the assets of the Syrian army. Tensions ticked up in early June after projectiles were fired from Syria towards Israel. Israel retaliated with its first strikes in nearly a month. On June 8, Israel carried out a strike on the outskirts of Beit Jin on what it described as a Hamas member. A resident of the village denied the claim, saying Israel targeted a youth called Anas Abboud and that he was a former member of a Syrian opposition armed group.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Syria condemns ‘blatant violation' of sovereignty after Israeli incursion
DAMASCUS: Syria's Interior Ministry condemned an Israeli incursion in southern Syria, saying Israeli forces killed one person and abducted seven others, calling it a 'blatant violation' of the country's sovereignty. 'We affirm that these repeated provocations constitute a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic,' the ministry said in a statement, adding that 'these practices cannot lead the region to stability and will only result in further tension and turmoil.' The Israeli military said those detained during the pre-dawn raid on Beit Jin were suspected of planning attacks against Israel, and that weapons also were found in the area. They were taken back to Israel for questioning, the military said. One person was killed and seven captured in the operation, Syria's Interior Ministry said, while the father of the young man killed said he had a history of mental illness. Since the fall of President Bashar Assad's government in early December, Israeli forces have moved into several areas in southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes throughout the country, destroying much of the assets of the Syrian army. Local broadcaster Syria TV described Thursday's raid as being carried out by about 100 Israeli troops who stormed Beit Jin, near the border with Lebanon, and called out the names of several people targeted for arrest through loudspeakers. Syria's Interior Ministry said such incursions spike tensions in the region. 'Such repeated provocative acts are a flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty,' the ministry said in a statement. Village official Walid Okasha said that Israeli troops had entered the outskirts of Beit Jin in recent months, but that this was the first time they entered the center of the village. He added that Thursday's operation came four days after an Israeli drone strike hit a car in the village, inflicting casualties. 'They came targeting specific people,' said Okasha, who denied that Hamas members were in the village. He said the seven people taken to Israel were all Syrians and that two of them were members of the country's new security forces. He said the man who was killed suffered from mental illness. Ahmad Hammadi identified the victim as his son and told the AP that he had a history of schizophrenia. He said his son was shot dead in front of his home, and that he had no links to Hamas. He said two of the captured men were his nephews. Hussein Safadi said his two sons, Ahmad, 32, and Mohammed, 34, were captured, adding that his younger son, who raises goats, had lived in Lebanon for years until recently. He said his younger son was a member of the armed opposition against Assad and recently joined the security forces of the new authorities. As for why Israeli forces seized his sons, 'we don't know the reasons,' Safadi said. During a visit to France last month, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa said that his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to prevent hostilities from getting out of control.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Israel raids a Syrian village and detains suspected militants; 1 person is killed
BEIT JIN, Syria — Israel's army raided a village in southern Syria early Thursday to arrest several alleged agents of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Syrian officials said one person was killed and warned that such incursions stoke regional tensions, while villagers denied having any ties to Hamas. The Israeli military said those detained during the pre-dawn raid on Beit Jin were suspected of planning attacks against Israel, and that weapons also were found in the area. They were taken back to Israel for questioning, the military said.
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israel Kills Syrian in Damascus Countryside, Detains Several
Israeli forces conducted an operation in southern Syria to detain several members of Hamas, the military said Thursday. Syria TV, a local station, reported that a force of about 100 Israeli troops stormed the southern Syrian village of Beit Jin near the border with Lebanon and called the names of several people through loud speakers who were detained. Syria TV said one person was shot dead by the Israeli force. The Israeli military said that the detained people were Hamas members who were planning attacks against Israel, and that they were taken to Israel for questioning, adding that its forces also found weapons in the area. The detained people were not identified. Since the fall of President Bashar Assad 's government in early December, Israeli forces have moved into several areas in southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes throughout the country, destroying much of the assets of the Syrian army. There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Syrian authorities. During a visit to France last month, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said that his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to prevent hostilities from getting out of control.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Israel says it detained Hamas members during an operation in southern Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Israeli forces conducted an operation in southern Syria to detain several members of Hamas, the military said Thursday. Syria TV, a local station, reported that a force of about 100 Israeli troops stormed the southern Syrian village of Beit Jin near the border with Lebanon and called the names of several people through loud speakers who were detained. Syria TV said one person was shot dead by the Israeli force. The Israeli military said that the detained people were Hamas members who were planning attacks against Israel, and that they were taken to Israel for questioning, adding that its forces also found weapons in the area. The detained people were not identified. Since the fall of President Bashar Assad 's government in early December, Israeli forces have moved into several areas in southern Syria and conducted hundreds of airstrikes throughout the country, destroying much of the assets of the Syrian army. There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Syrian authorities. During a visit to France last month, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said that his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to prevent hostilities from getting out of control.
