IDF fears terror attacks on Syrian border

Army officials say global jihad may take advantage of possible regime change in Damascus to launch cross-border attacks from remote region

Yoav Zitun|Published: 06.28.12 , 23:30

The IDF is preparing for the possibility that global Jihad terrorists will launch attacks from Syria in case President Bashar Assad's regime will fall, Ynet reported Thursday.

Army officials are not ruling a situation whereby terrorists will take advantage of the chaos that may follow a regime change in Damascus to seize control of the border region, as was the case in the Sinai Peninsula after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown.

Over the past few months the 36th Armored Division (Ga'ash), which is in charge of security along the border, has been gearing for a number of possible scenarios, including a cross-border attack by global jihad, which is operating in Syria against Assad's regime.

מערכת תצפית משודרגת תוצב בגבול עם סוריה (צילום: חגי אהרון)

IDF position on Syria border (Photo: Hagai Aharon)

The IDF fears the Horan region, near the border with Israel, will become a "no man's land" and a hotbed of terrorism. Military officials are not ruling out the possibility of rocket fire from Syria and attempts to kidnap Israeli soldiers and civilians.

In the coming year the army is expected to reinforce the barrier along the southern section of the border - in the Golan Heights area. The area's topography makes it susceptible to infiltrations.

"We are working to provide an operational response to the challenge that is developing in Syria and are preparing for the possibility of a terror attack that will be launched without prior warning from army intelligence – as was the case in the attack in Ein Netafim a year ago, which originated in Sinai," said Ga'ash Division Commander Brigadier-General Tamir Haiman.

"The lack of governance in remote areas such as Sinai and the Israel-Syria border helps the terror groups develop," he said.