What is Israel’s “Sufa 53” project in southern Syria?

The name “Sufa 53” has resurfaced in southern Syria following the resumption of excavation work by Israeli forces in the countryside of Quneitra. So, what is this Israeli project in southern Syria?

What is “Sufa 53”?

The Hebrew word “Sufa” means “storm,” while the number 53 refers to the 53rd Armored Battalion. “Sufa” is part of the Israeli military’s 188th “Barak” Armored Brigade.

“Sufa 53,” also referred to as the “Sufa Line,” is an Israeli military and engineering project involving the construction of a military road and fortifications along parts of the buffer zone in Quneitra, adjacent to the separation line between Syria and the occupied Golan Heights.

The project consists of a military road approximately 8 meters wide, accompanied by earth berms reaching around 5 meters in height, as well as trenches, observation posts, and military positions along its route.

How has it developed?

Work on the “Sufa 53” project began in August 2022 in the northern countryside of Quneitra, before gradually expanding toward the central and southern parts of the province.

The project began in northern Quneitra countryside during the rule of the Baath regime and continued to expand southward after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The work subsequently intensified alongside the expansion of the Israeli military presence in areas surrounding the disengagement line.

In some areas, Israeli forces advanced between 100 and 300 meters into Syrian territory while carrying out work related to the project.

Why is Israel carrying out the project?

Israel says the fortifications are intended to prevent attacks or infiltration attempts, particularly by armed groups that it says are linked to Iran.

However, the project is not limited to the construction of a barrier or earth berm. The military road, trenches, observation posts, and related military positions together form a network of fortifications that enables surveillance and military movement throughout the area.

What areas have been affected by the project?

The route extends from the outskirts of Hader in the north, passing through Jabata al-Khashab, Al-Hamidiya, Al-Qahtaniya, Ruwayhina, Bir Ajam and Bariqa, before reaching Al-Asha in southern Quneitra. It runs along a wide stretch adjacent to the disengagement zone and the occupied Golan Heights.

According to government statistics, the project has affected around 12,000 dunams, equivalent to approximately 1,200 hectares, of land in the northern and central Quneitra countryside. This includes around 7,000 dunams in Jabata al-Khashab, while other estimates indicate that extensive areas in Al-Hamidiya and Al-Hurriya have also been affected.

Residents say the work has damaged agricultural land, grazing areas, trees and vegetation, as well as restricted residents’ movement and access to their land. The trenches and earth berms have also altered the natural flow of rainwater.

Why has the project returned to the spotlight now?

On October 4, ANHA agency monitored the resumption of excavation work by Israeli forces near Al-Asha in southern Quneitra, coinciding with the entry of more than seven bulldozers and military vehicles into the area southwest of Al-Rafid. Excavation work also resumed near the disengagement line inside Syrian territory.

What does Damascus say?

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in the transitional government said that the continuation of work on the “Sufa 53” project constitutes a clear violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and international resolutions. It called on the international community to take deterrent measures to halt Israeli incursions and military activities inside Syrian territory.

The 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Syria and Israel provides for arrangements to separate the forces and the establishment of a buffer zone monitored by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF).

ANHA