Death toll of Israeli occupation attack on Syrian town climbs to 13

AMMAN, Nov 28 (KUNA) -- The death toll of the Israeli occupation attack on the Syrian town of Beit Jin located on the Syrian capital's outskirts, carried out earlier on Friday, has climbed to 13 fatalities, the Syrian authorities declared.
The official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quoted the health director of Damascus countryside, Dr. Toufic Saba, as indicating that the injuries' count also increased, reaching 24, adding that condition of some of the wounded was critical.
Earlier, it was reported six of the dead were transported to Al-Muwasat Hospital in Damascus while four others were buried in Beit Jin farm. Eleven injured people were admitted at Al-Muwasat Hospital and three at Qatana Hospital, located in the capital's suburbs, Dr. Saba said.
Condition of some of the wounded was critical, he said, indicating that paramedics treated those with light injuries at the scene.
According to reports, a squad of the Israeli occupation elite forces burst into the town, situated just south of the Syrian capital Damascus, under cover of darkness at dawn to capture two Islamist gunmen. An ensuing firefight broke out involving drones and gunship helicopters and the reports indicated that the Israelis suffered six injury cases, three serious ones.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned in a statement the Israeli occupation assault on the Syrian town, branding it a war crime.
Continuation of such criminal offensives threaten security and stability in the region as they come as part of the approach to destabilize conditions and enforce "a hostile status by force," the ministry said, alluding to the Israeli occupation recurring incursions into the Syrian territories and occupation of swaths of land in the south of the country.
The ministry urged the United Nations Security Council and the Arab League to act immediately to "put an end to these offensives, violations by the Israeli occupation and take deterrence measures to ensure respect for Syria's sovereignty, territorial sanctity, adherence to the international law and the United Nations charters." The Syrian government has repeatedly called for withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Syrian territories.
The Israeli occupation, in addition to the longtime occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights, has recently deployed troops deep into the Syrian territories and occupied heights overlooking Syrian and neighboring Lebanese territories. (end) tma.rk