ByTOBIAS SIEGAL

Over 20 Syrian hand grenades used by the Syrian military in the mid to late 20th century, were found in the Golan Heights on Friday, Walla reported. 

The grenades date back to the Six Day War (1967) and Yom Kippur War (1973,) corresponding with dominant Syrian presence in the Golan back then.   

The grenades found contain between 50-60 grams of explosives, according to chief superintendent Roi Aloni from the Israel Police bomb disposal unit.

Aloni noted that additional Syrian weapon reserves still lay hidden in the area, waiting to be found.

Syrian weapons and old mines are occasionally found in the Golan Heights, where the border between Israel and Syria stands today. 

Israel’s National Mine Action Authority (INMAA) has been working for years to clear the plateau of old ordinances.

In 2010, Daniel Yuval, 11, lost a leg to a land mine while walking across a snowy field in the Golan Heights. Following this incident, the Knesset enacted the Minefield Clearance Act in 2011.

Since 2012, the INMAA has cleared more than 800 hectares of Syrian minefields placed before 1967 when Israel captured the strategic heights. The authority clears between 150-200 hectares per year, depending on its annual budget.


Juliane Helmhold contributed to this report.