Residents of Syria’s Quneitra province say Israeli military operations and detentions have left communities fearful and increasingly doubtful that the country’s new authorities can protect them.
Ibrahim, who was 17 when he was detained in July 2025, said Israeli troops took him from a relative’s home in a village in southwestern Syria. He said he was questioned about alleged links to armed groups, which he denied, and held without contact with his family for 13 months. Ibrahim described physical and psychological abuse during transfers through Israeli prisons.
Detention figures remain incomplete
Rights monitors say Israeli forces have detained more than 240 Syrians since Bashar al-Assad’s government fell in December 2024. At least 200 had been released by August 2026, while more than 40 remained unaccounted for, according to those monitors. The figures are difficult to verify independently, and the fate of some detainees is unclear.
The reported detentions come alongside Israeli raids and strikes in Quneitra, including drone and artillery attacks that residents say have disrupted daily life and agriculture. Israeli forces have also moved into areas of the UN-monitored buffer zone and taken control of strategic positions, including Mount Hermon.
Trust in Damascus under pressure
Some residents say the interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has not done enough to shield border communities. Their anger reflects both the insecurity created by Israeli military activity and a wider sense of abandonment.
The accounts illustrate a challenge for Syria’s new leadership: establishing security and public confidence in border areas while Israeli forces remain active beyond the line that separated the two countries for decades.
