A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Have Two Syrian Divisions along the Golan Ceasefire Line "Almost Entirely Disintegrated"?

I'm certainly not endorsing this vaguely-sourced report from Israel haYom, but it might explain recent exchanges of fire along the Disengagement Line in the Golan:
Two divisions of the Syrian army, comprising tens of thousands of soldiers, which had been posted permanently along the Golan cease-fire line, have now almost entirely disintegrated, a Jordanian official has told Israel Hayom.  
A senior defense official in Jordan confirmed to Israel Hayom on Sunday that two divisions of the Syrian army, comprising tens of thousands of soldiers, which had been posted permanently along the Golan cease-fire line, have now almost entirely disintegrated. The breakdown of the Syrian army in that region means that the country's opposition has now completely overrun the Israeli-Syrian border area.
According to the defense official, the regime in Damascus no longer has any control over the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.
"The regime no longer controls south-east Syria, and most of the periphery has been overrun by rebels and their supporters," the official said. "The Syrian Golan has turned into a no-man's land, ruled by armed opposition militias and extremist terrorists that have infiltrated the country."
The official added that "Iranian Revolutionary Guards and armed Hezbollah fighters who were helping the Syrian soldiers in the Golan area have also disappeared in recent days, abandoning positions and posts full of supplies and ammunition."
I'm no fan of the Syrian regime, but this could be a tinderbox if true.


No comments: