NEW YORK, June 30. /TASS/. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa urged Israel's government to withdraw its troops from the buffer zone in the south of the country after the recent incursion by the Israel Defense Forces, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing the leader of the Arab republic.

This concerns the withdrawal of troops from the territory with the total area of about 235 square kilometers. The president of Syria also condemned the recent actions of Israeli units in this territory.

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces reported the elimination of several armed terrorists in the buffer zone in southern Syria. The raid of Israeli soldiers provoked backlash from the local residents. There were no civilian casualties in the collision. Recently, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would not make any concessions in matters of securing its borders, so the armed forces of Israel intended to keep control over their own safe zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.

After the change of power in Syria in December 2024, Israel deployed its troops in the buffer zone and in the Syrian part of Mount Hermon. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, explained this by the fact that the Agreement on Disengagement with Syria, signed in 1974, had expired. On September 17, Foreign Minister in the transitional government of Syria Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and Minister of Strategic Affairs of Israel Ron Dermer with the mediation and participation of US special envoy Tom Barrack held talks in London. According to Syria TV, the parties discussed the new draft contract that will replace the agreement of 1974.