IDF silent as conflicting reports are emanating from the Arab media identifying the man killed near the Israeli border on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights as a “terrorist” while other reports describe Yasser al-Sayyed as a civilian.

BY ANNA AHRONHEIM, YASSER OKBI, MAARIV HASHAVUA

Syrian media reported on Sunday that an Israeli drone had struck a car in the Quneitra countryside, killing the driver named as Yasser al-Sayed. There were conflicting reports about the identity of the man killed, with some labeling him a “terrorist” and others describing him as a civilian.

Yasser al-Sayed and the remnants of his car after allegedly destroyed by an Israeli UAV – Arab media

Hours earlier, Syrian regime reports said that forces loyal to President Bashar Assad had “repelled” an Israeli reconnaissance drone near the town of Khan Arnaba, close to where the alleged strike occurred.

According to a report by the Al-Marsad – “Arab Human Rights Center in Golan Heights” group, witnesses said that the alleged Israeli strike on the outskirts of Quneitra targeted a vehicle, killing the driver and leaving the car charred.

The IDF refused comment in line with the military’s policy against remarking on foreign reports.

RELATED:

• Israel’s Arrow-3 Interceptor protects IAF jets striking targets in Syria

The Syrian reports Sunday emerged after Israel’s Arrow anti-aircraft missile defense system was used to intercept a Syrian S-5 missile fired at IAF jets that had already returned to Israeli airspace after carrying out airstrikes against targets in Syria on Friday night.

Amid the recent flare-up near the northern border, top Israeli officials have underlined that the IDF will continue to take measures to thwart weapons transfers to Hezbollah operatives in Syria.

“We have no interest in intervening in the civil war in Syria, either in favor or against [President Bashar] Assad,” Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said earlier on Sunday. “We do not want to clash with the Russians. Our main issue is with the transfer of advanced weaponry from Syria to Lebanon and so whenever we detect an attempt to smuggle weapons, we will act to prevent it. We will not compromise on this issue.”

Jpost.com Staff contributed to this report. 

View original The Jerusalem Post publication at:
http://new.israelandstuff.com/wp-admin/post-new.php