Syria: Widespread agricultural losses in Quneitra due to Israeli pesticide spraying operations - Sarmad
Israel continues to spray pesticides on agricultural lands adjacent to the ceasefire line in the Quneitra countryside, causing widespread damage affecting thousands of dunams of pastures, crops, and orchards.
The governorate’s Agriculture Directorate reported that these operations were not confined to specific plots but extended over vast areas, resulting in damage to vegetation cover and rendering large portions of pastures unusable, a situation that threatens the agricultural sector and livestock in the region.
According to available information, the spraying operations have affected approximately 255 farmers, impacting lands in several villages and towns, including Al-Razaniya, Al-Batmiya, Al-Qahitaniya, Bir Ajam Al-Gharbiya, Al-Mu’allaqa, Sidat Al-Hanout, Al-Asha, Rafid, As’ad, Kudna, Jabat Al-Khashab, Awfaniya, and Al-Hurriya. Field inspections revealed near-total disappearance of vegetation cover in most pastures and winter crops exposed to the spraying, with only limited damage recorded in olive trees.
These spraying operations come amid ongoing Israeli incursions and movements in the Quneitra countryside and southern Syria, accompanied by the construction of earthen barriers, military checkpoints, and raids, searches, and arrests. These developments have heightened fears among residents regarding the impact of such measures on agricultural activity and demographic stability in border areas, reflecting the complexity of the situation and the intertwining of security and economic threats.
Farmers view the pesticide spraying as an extension of Israeli measures in areas adjacent to the ceasefire line, noting that its effects extend beyond agricultural lands to affect livestock and the livelihoods of hundreds of families. Residents fear the continuation of these operations and the additional damage they may cause, particularly given the difficulty farmers face in accessing and cultivating some of their lands, amid ongoing tensions and military movements near the ceasefire line.
