Syrian protesters vow to fully liberate Golan Heights from Israeli occupation

A large number of Syrian demonstrators have gathered to protest Tel Aviv’s control over the Golan Heights, which the Israeli regime has been occupying for more than half a century.

The angry protesters held a massive rally at Tahrir square in the liberated city of Quneitra, where they stressed the need to continue struggle until the mountainous plateau is fully liberated, the official SANA news agency reported on Thursday. 

The Golan Heights will always remain an integral part of Syria and Damascus reserves the right to re-establish control over the area despite attempts by the Tel Aviv to distort the reality, they stressed. 

The participants also demanded the international community and United Nations play their role in protecting peoples from the Israeli occupation in all its forms.

The Israeli regime has long been pushing for the US recognition of Tel Aviv’s "sovereignty" claims over the territory, which was seized in 1967.

On March 25 last year, US President Donald Trump signed a decree that suited the Israeli interest regarding Golan. The signing took place at the start of a meeting with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.

Trump’s move came over a year after he recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel and moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied Palestinian city.

The United Nations has time and again stressed Syria’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Back in December 2018, the majority of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution urging the Israeli regime to withdraw from Golan.

The resolution, titled The Syrian Golan, was adopted by a record vote of 99 in favor, 10 against and 66 abstentions. It declared that Israel’s controversial move to extend its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied heights is null and void.

The demonstrators also voiced their support for the Arab country to continue its war against foreign-backed terrorism. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. 

Syrians denounce Turkish-backed forces in Hasakah

Meanwhile, local residents in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah staged a demonstration in protest at the deployment of Ankara-backed militants and cross-border invasions by Turkish forces.

SANA, citing local sources, reported that hundreds in the key border town of Ra's al-Ayn organized the protest rally on Thursday to denounce daily attacks by Turkish occupation forces and its mercenaries against the locals.

The participants held up placards and chanted slogans to demand a complete halt to Turkey's operation in northeastern Syria.

Turkish-backed militants set fire to farms in northeastern Syria: SANA

Turkish-backed Takfiri militants burn wide areas of agricultural lands in Syria’s northeastern province of Hasakah, reports say.

The militants were deployed to northeastern Syria last October after Turkish military forces launched a cross-border invasion in a declared attempt to push fighters of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) away from border areas.

Ankara views the US-backed YPG as a terrorist organization tied to the homegrown Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region in Turkey since 1984.

Kurdish sources in northeastern Syria say the Turkish offensive has killed hundreds of civilians, including dozens of children since it started.

In recent months, there has also been a surge in abductions in the areas where the Turkish-backed militants are present, particularly in the key border town of Ra's al-Ayn.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other senior officials have said that Damascus will respond through all legitimate means available to the ongoing ground offensive by Turkey. 

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