The IDF says troops from the 2nd "Carmeli" Brigade shot and killed a person who approached an outpost between Hader and Kuneitra in the southern Syria buffer zone on Sunday night. Soldiers began an arrest procedure after the individual failed to comply and was seen climbing an embankment before being shot; it is unclear whether the person was armed. Golan Regional Council head Ori Kallner urged maintaining a forward security posture, while Syria's SANA condemned the action and accused Israel of creating a new "Sufa 53 Line." Additional IDF units were dispatched to search the area.
IDF Fatally Shoots Suspect Near Outpost in Southern Syria; Damascus Condemns Action
Soldiers of Israel
Israeli forces shot and killed a person on Sunday night after the individual approached an IDF outpost in the southern Syria buffer zone, the military said.
Troops from the 2nd "Carmeli" Brigade, who were manning positions in the buffer area, observed a suspect moving toward the post located between the villages of Hader and Kuneitra, Kan News reporter Itay Blumenthal reported. According to the military account and Blumenthal, soldiers initiated a suspect-arrest procedure when the person failed to comply with orders.
The military said the individual was seen climbing the embankment outside the outpost and was subsequently shot and killed by troops on the scene. It remains unclear whether the suspect was armed or intended to infiltrate the position. Additional IDF forces were dispatched to the area to conduct searches following the shooting.
View of the Israeli border area with Syria, as seen from the northern Golan Heights, April 11, 2026. (credit: MICHAEL GILADI/FLASH90)
Golan Regional Council head Ori Kallner warned Monday that Israel must not "wait for the threat to reach the fence." Speaking on the eve of Simchat Torah and three years after October 7, Kallner said the incident underscores a key lesson: "As someone who fought at Kfar Aza, we will not allow such a thing to happen again."
Kallner praised the IDF presence along Israel's southern border with Syria, saying operations in the buffer zone enable protection of Israeli citizens "far away from the Golan's communities and residents," and urged future political leaders to commit to sustaining that security posture.
In Damascus, Syrian state media SANA condemned what it described as continued Israeli "violations" of Syrian territory and accused Israel of establishing a new line of control dubbed the "Sufa 53 Line." SANA said Israel took control of a portion of Syrian land on December 8, 2024, a claim it tied to events in Damascus; the report framed the move as part of broader Israeli operations along sections of the 1974 ceasefire line.
The IDF has acknowledged continued operations in areas that run along parts of the 1974 ceasefire line, effectively extending control into a buffer zone that previously existed. The incident remains under investigation. Seth J. Frantzman contributed to this report.
Help us improve.
