A clash between Syrian and Israeli soldiers yesterday, the first in recent memory, led to the death of one Syrian and the capture of another. The IDF's Northern Command today transferred the captured soldier and the body of the other to United Nations forces, in preparation for their transfer back to Syria.
Israeli military officials feel that the Syrians did not mean to perform an ambush, but *did* open fire first at the Israelis. The incident began when IDF troops of the Egoz Brigade on a routine patrol at the Israeli-Jordanian-Syrian border spotted a man dressed in civilian clothes west of the Rakad River, inside Israeli territory. As the soldiers approached, they came under fire at very close range from a second man hidden in nearby bushes. The Israelis returned fire and killed the gunman, whose weapon apparently jammed. They then overpowered and took for questioning the first Syrian.
The Syrians have a different version, however. They say that their men were merely trying to have a drink from the river when the Israelis fired at them. An official announcement said that the Israeli shots "led to the martyrdom of one and missing the other." The spokesman threatened that because "shooting Syrian citizens within the demilitarized zone is a violation of the disengagement forces agreement and an unjustified provocation, investigations are undergoing now for appropriate measures to be taken." He admitted, however, "One of our nearby patrols returned fire."
A senior IDF official told Ynet that similar shooting incidents had last taken place 10 and 15 years ago, respectively. Several months ago, Syrian terrorists managed to infiltrate into Israel near Ramat Magshimim, and were killed by IDF soldiers.
Israeli military officials feel that the Syrians did not mean to perform an ambush, but *did* open fire first at the Israelis. The incident began when IDF troops of the Egoz Brigade on a routine patrol at the Israeli-Jordanian-Syrian border spotted a man dressed in civilian clothes west of the Rakad River, inside Israeli territory. As the soldiers approached, they came under fire at very close range from a second man hidden in nearby bushes. The Israelis returned fire and killed the gunman, whose weapon apparently jammed. They then overpowered and took for questioning the first Syrian.
The Syrians have a different version, however. They say that their men were merely trying to have a drink from the river when the Israelis fired at them. An official announcement said that the Israeli shots "led to the martyrdom of one and missing the other." The spokesman threatened that because "shooting Syrian citizens within the demilitarized zone is a violation of the disengagement forces agreement and an unjustified provocation, investigations are undergoing now for appropriate measures to be taken." He admitted, however, "One of our nearby patrols returned fire."
A senior IDF official told Ynet that similar shooting incidents had last taken place 10 and 15 years ago, respectively. Several months ago, Syrian terrorists managed to infiltrate into Israel near Ramat Magshimim, and were killed by IDF soldiers.