DARAA, Syria (North Press) – Years ago, the villages of the Yarmouk Basin in Daraa western countryside, southern Syria, relied on agriculture as their main source of income. Today, however, repeated Israeli incursions have transformed residents’ lives into a state of constant anxiety, according to local testimonies.
Residents describe house searches, gunfire, and damage to agricultural and public infrastructure. They say fears of further incursions have forced a number of families to flee their homes temporarily, while calling for protection and an end to the violations.
Villages in the western countryside of Daraa, particularly Khirbet Abdin and Maariya, have witnessed growing repercussions from repeated Israeli incursions, which residents say have caused persistent fear, damaged property and infrastructure, and directly affected livelihoods, according to testimonies obtained by North Press.
Frequent displacement and constant fear
Mohammed al-Moussa Dakhlallah, a resident of Khirbet Abdin village, told North Press that repeated Israeli incursions have forced residents to live in a constant state of fear and compelled many families to leave their homes temporarily to ensure their safety.
He said that Israeli forces opened fire on houses in the village several days ago, damaging his home’s water tank and water heater, before advancing again around midnight toward al-Jazira area and then toward Maariya and al-Arda.
Dakhlallah added that Israeli forces reached his house, searched it and tampered with its contents before withdrawing at dawn. He noted that such searches are repeatedly conducted under the pretext of searching for weapons, despite his insistence that residents possess no arms.
He indicated that his family is repeatedly forced to leave their home whenever Israeli troop movements are reported, noting that the temporary displacement has become an almost daily occurrence.
According to Dakhlallah, nearly half of the families in the targeted areas left their homes during the latest incursions. Members of his family and relatives were also forced to evacuate their houses for fear of harm, he said, calling on authorities to take measures to stop the incursions and protect civilians.
In a similar account, Abdul Rahman al-Oqla, a resident of Maariya village, also in the west of Daraa, told North Press that Israeli incursions and the accompanying violations have pushed many residents to leave the village, while those who remain continue to live in fear.
He said that the Israeli forces continue to patrol the outskirts of the village. Two days ago, one patrol consisting of two military vehicles opened fire on an electricity transformer supplying a large part of the village, causing oil to leak from it.
Al-Oqla also referred to other incidents, including the cutting of electricity cables and damage to water tanks, which he said have further increased residents’ suffering.
He added that military movements, particularly at night, have created a state of panic among residents, especially children, who now wake up frightened by any sound or movement.
He pointed out that drones remain constantly in the skies over the area, leaving residents in a continuous state of fear.
Al-Oqla noted that he is unable to leave his home despite the difficult conditions because of his financial situation. He explained that he supports a large family and depends on a single income, while intimidation, in his words, has forced a number of families to flee.
Agricultural losses and infrastructure damage
For his part, Zayed Abdul Majid al-Salem, a resident of Maariya village, told North Press that frequent Israeli incursions and violations have directly affected residents’ lives, particularly the agricultural sector, stressing that farmers have been prevented from accessing and cultivating large areas of their land.
He said that the Israeli forces have seized agricultural land and prevented residents from using it since the beginning of their incursions into the area.
Al-Salem also referred to incidents involving livestock theft, gunfire targeting houses and water tanks, and attacks on electricity transformers.
He considered these practices an attempt to pressure residents into leaving their villages, adding that children and young people in the village have sought to confront the incursions through peaceful means.
He noted that, in one recent incident, the Israeli forces opened fire on an electricity transformer after withdrawing from the area, causing power outages in parts of the village.
Al-Salem stressed that preventing farmers from reaching their land, coupled with the atmosphere of fear and intimidation, has inflicted significant damage on residents’ livelihoods.
Despite the circumstances, he said the village’s residents remain committed to their land and refuse to leave.