Syrian Refugees in the Golan Heights Protest Against Russian Offensive
Backed by Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched an offensive last month to regain the southwestern Deraa region, driving thousands of refugees toward neighboring Jordan and Israel
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Internally displaced refugees across the Golan Heights marched on Wednesday in an encampment on the Syrian border set up by international relief workers on the frontier.
In a protest organized by Deraa region's council, several dozens of refugees demonstrated on the border in an appeal to the United Nations and the international community to stop Russia from carrying out an offensive.
Backed by Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched an offensive last month to regain the southwestern Deraa region, driving thousands of refugees toward neighbouring Jordan and Israel.
Israeli forces have provided humanitarian aid to Syrian villagers and internally displaced refugees across the Golan in a bid to keep the frontier quiet. Israel beefed up its tank and artillery deployment on the Golan Heights frontier with Syria on Sunday, cautioning Damascus' forces to keep a distance as they sweep rebel-held areas over the border.
Israel seized much of the Golan from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed the strategic plateau, a move not recognized abroad.