Two armed Syrians approach Israeli border in Golan Heights, one shot dead — IDF

An armed Syrian suspect was shot dead by soldiers Sunday while attempting to cross the border into Israel in the southern Golan Heights with another gunman, the Israel Defense Forces said.

According to the IDF, soldiers monitoring surveillance cameras spotted the two armed men crossing the so-called Alpha Line — a UN buffer zone separating Israel from Syria — and approaching Israel’s security fence.

“IDF soldiers were dispatched to the scene and opened fire in accordance with standard operating procedures,” the military said, adding that one of the men was hit.

The IDF said the suspect was treated by military medics at the scene. According to Hebrew-language media reports, he was declared dead.

The second suspect apparently fled back to Syria, a military source said. It was unclear if he had also been hit by the gunfire.

No Israeli soldiers were injured in the incident.

Earlier this month, the IDF said troops detained five suspects who crossed into Israeli territory from Syria.

In December, two similar incidents occurred.

Though Jerusalem and Damascus remain in a state of war, Syrians wounded in the country’s bloody civil conflict who make it to the border have been provided medical treatment by the Jewish state.