Paris: France called on Israel on Sunday to respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity after a cross-raid attack killed 13 civilians in the Damascus countryside. The Israeli army attacked the town of Beit Jinn and the road leading to Mazraat Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 people, including women and children, and injuring several others.
According to Anadolu Agency, Jean-Baptiste Faivre, France's charge d'affaires to Syria, emphasized the significance of maintaining Syria's unity, sovereignty, and stability in line with international law and the disengagement agreement between Israeli and Syrian forces. Faivre conveyed his concerns regarding the civilian casualties resulting from Israeli military actions in Beit Jinn and urged Israel to uphold Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Faivre also called on regional countries to participate in continuous efforts to enable Syria to transform into a hub of peace, security, and stability, benefiting the Syrian people and the region as a whole. Syrian government data indicated that Israel has conducted over 1,000 airstrikes on Syria and more than 400 cross-border raids into the southern provinces since December 2024.
Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by taking over the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that contravened the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Syria.