BBC crew detained by Israeli forces in southern Syria

On the morning of 9 Could, I used to be a part of a BBC Arabic crew which left the Syrian capital, Damascus, for the southern province of Deraa. From there we deliberate to go to the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

We needed to get near the Syrian territory that has been seized by the Israeli navy since December, when Israel’s prime minister mentioned it was taking management indefinitely of a demilitarised buffer zone and neighbouring areas following the autumn of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

We have been a crew of seven – myself (a British citizen), two Iraqi BBC employees, and 4 Syrians – three freelancers and one BBC cameraman.

We have been filming close to one of many UN Disengagement Observer Drive (UNDOF) statement posts, near the city of al-Rafeed, when an official from the UN advised us that the Israeli aspect had inquired about our identification and had been knowledgeable that we have been a BBC crew.

We subsequent drove north in the direction of Quneitra metropolis, which has been positioned contained in the buffer zone since a 1974 disengagement settlement between Syria and Israel, which captured the Golan in the course of the 1967 Center East warfare.

About 200m (660ft) away from town, an unguarded checkpoint blocked the highway. To the aspect of the checkpoint we noticed Merkava tanks, one among which was flying an Israeli flag.

From a close-by tower, two Israeli troopers have been watching us – one among them via binoculars – and my colleague held his BBC ID up for them to see.

The BBC has complained to the Israeli navy about what occurred subsequent to my crew, however it has not but acquired a response.

A minute after we began filming within the space, a white automobile approached from the opposite aspect of the checkpoint.

4 Israeli troopers received out of the automobile and surrounded us. They pointed their rifles at our heads and ordered us to put the digicam on the aspect of the highway. I attempted to elucidate that we have been a BBC crew, however issues escalated unexpectedly shortly.

I used to be in a position to ship a message to my BBC colleagues in London saying that we had been stopped by the Israeli navy earlier than our telephones and all gear have been confiscated, extra Israeli troopers arrived in a Humvee navy car, and our automobile was totally searched.

The troopers escorted us via a barrier into town of Quneitra and stopped on the crossing level that separates Quneitra from the occupied Golan. There, the troopers started reviewing the footage as we sat in our automobile, whereas one pointed his rifle at my head from metres away. After greater than two hours, one of many troopers requested me to step out of the automobile and converse on a cell phone.

I did not know who the particular person on the road was. He spoke damaged Arabic. He requested why we have been filming Israeli navy positions. I advised him I used to be a British BBC journalist and defined to him the character of our work. I returned to my automobile, and the rifle was once more aimed toward my head.

After one other hour of ready, yet one more car arrived. A gaggle of safety personnel received out of the automobile carrying blindfolds and plastic zip ties and requested me to step out first.

The lead officer, who spoke fluent Palestinian Arabic dialect, took me by the hand in the direction of one of many rooms on the crossing level which have been beforehand utilized by the Syrian military. The ground was strewn with damaged glass and garbage. He advised me that they might deal with me in a different way – no handcuffs, nor blindfold – in contrast to the remainder of my crew.

I used to be in shock. I requested why they have been doing this after they knew we have been a BBC crew.

He mentioned he needed to assist get us out shortly and that we needed to adjust to their directions.

Moments later, one other officer entered and advised me to take off all my garments besides my underwear. I initially refused, however they insisted, and threatened me, so I complied. He inspected even inside my underwear, each back and front, searched my garments, then advised me to place them again on and began interrogating me – together with private questions on my youngsters and their ages.

After they finally let me out of the room, I witnessed the horrific scene of my crew members, tied up and blindfolded. I pleaded to the officer to launch them, and he promised to take action after the interrogations. They have been taken one after the other to the identical room for strip search and questioning.

They returned with their fingers nonetheless sure however not blindfolded. The crew’s interrogation lasted greater than two hours, throughout which all our telephones and laptops have been examined, and lots of pictures – together with private ones – have been deleted.

The officer threatened us with worse penalties if we approached the frontier from the Syrian aspect once more, and mentioned that they know all the things about us and would observe us down if any hidden or un-deleted photograph was ever revealed.

About seven hours after our detention – it was previous 21:00 – we have been taken by two autos, one in entrance of our automobile and the opposite behind us, to a rural space about 2km (1.2 miles) exterior Quneitra. There, the autos stopped and a bag containing our telephones was thrown in the direction of us earlier than the autos left.

Misplaced in the dead of night with no sign, no web and no concept the place we have been, we stored driving till we reached a small village.

A gaggle of kids pointed us to the freeway, warning {that a} mistaken flip may draw Israeli hearth. Ten tense minutes later, we discovered the highway. Forty-five minutes after that, we have been in Damascus.