Israeli troops wound protester in newly captured Syrian territory

The Israeli military said its soldiers shot and wounded a protester in the Syrian village of Maariyah.

Since the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in Syria, Israel’s military has occupied several locations in the country along the border with Israel.

During a protest Friday by dozens of Syrians against the Israeli presence in Maariyah, soldiers shot at one man who the military said had approached their position, wounding him in the leg.

It said the troops acted “in accordance with standard operating procedures.”

“We emphasize that the IDF (Israeli army) is not interfering in events taking place in Syria,” the military said.

Residents in the area previously told The Associated Press that Israeli forces were preventing farmers from reaching their fields.

Israeli leaders say they will remain in the area indefinitely.