Following a meeting between a delegation from Syria’s Ministry of Defence and the head of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), UN contingents on Wednesday raised their flags over a military outpost in Quneitra, southwestern Syria. The move signals a potential shift towards stability in the contested Golan region.
According to the local outlet Golan, UNDOF forces raised the UN flag over the site formerly known as the “Cobra Company” post, near the village of Kodna in Quneitra’s countryside. Once a remnant of Syria’s former military presence, the site now re-emerges under international supervision.
UN Presence Reasserted
Reports indicate that UN vehicles and equipment arrived at the post on Wednesday, establishing what appears to be a long-term monitoring position within the buffer zone—a region where tensions frequently flare.
According to a local source cited by Golan, UN peacekeepers also raised their banner over Tell Ahmar al-Sharqi on Tuesday evening. The site remains under observation, even as nearby Tell Ahmar al-Gharbi—currently occupied by Israeli forces—hosts an apparent permanent military outpost established after the collapse of Assad’s defences in December 2024.
The “Cobra Company” site is located roughly one kilometre from Israeli-held Tell Ahmar al-Gharbi, and just 500 metres from its eastern twin—highlighting the area’s fragile balance and the ever-present risk of confrontation or compromise.
In the Wake of Sharaa-Trump: A New Southern Security Arrangement?
UNDOF has maintained a peacekeeping presence in southern Syria since the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which created a demilitarised zone between Syrian and Israeli forces following the Yom Kippur War.
Its current mandate covers a network of observation posts stretching across the Golan ceasefire line—from Majdal Shams and Hadar in the north to the Yarmouk Basin in the south—tasked with monitoring compliance and maintaining calm.
High-Level Meeting Between UNDOF and Syrian Defence Officials
On Tuesday evening, Syria’s Ministry of Defence announced that a delegation led by Brigadier General Binyan al-Hariri, commander of the 40th Division, met with UNDOF’s Force Commander, Major General Anita Asmah of Ghana, and her team.
According to an official statement, the meeting aimed to enhance cooperation and coordination in the field—supporting peacekeeping efforts and strengthening stability along the demarcation line that separates Syrian territory from Israeli-occupied areas in the south.
“The meeting with the UNDOF commander was strictly aimed at organising the redeployment of peacekeeping forces to their former positions and ensuring security oversight in the area,” a source from the Ministry of Defence told Al-Hal Net. The source declined to elaborate on any emerging agreements amid continuing Israeli incursions.
Israeli forces continue to carry out near-daily operations inside Syrian territory. On Wednesday, they entered rural parts of southern Quneitra, carrying out unexplained excavations in various locations.
According to Syrian al-Ikhbariyah, Israeli forces sealed off the road at the entrance to Rasm al-Qata village, erecting a security barrier and preventing residents from passing. They also deployed vehicles and heavy machinery on the western outskirts of al-Usha village near the ceasefire line, prompting alarm among locals.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
