Syria too ‘exhausted’ for conflict with Israel, says rebel leader – rts.ch

The leader of the Islamist-dominated coalition that took power in Syria denounced on Saturday the incursion of Israeli troops into the south of the country but said it was too “exhausted” by the war to engage in a new conflict.

Israeli troops entered the buffer zone with Syria just after the fall of Bashar al-Assad from power on December 8. The UN has denounced a “violation” of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel.

“The Israelis have clearly crossed the lines of engagement in Syria, which threatens an unjustified escalation in the region,” said Abu Mouhammad al-Jolani, in comments reported by the Telegram channel of the coalition led by the group radical Sunni Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Jolani, who now goes by his real name, Ahmad al-Chareh, however added that “Syria’s state of exhaustion after years of war and conflicts does not allow us to enter into new conflicts.” .

>> Read also: Who is Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the Syrian rebels?

Triggered in 2011 by the repression of pro-democracy demonstrations, the war in Syria has left more than half a million dead, forced some six million Syrians to flee, and fragmented and devastated the country.

Since the fall of Assad, Israel has intensified its strikes on its neighbor, particularly targeting military sites in Damascus and across the country.

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