From 1974 until December 7-8 of this year, the Syrian border was an extremely dangerous one where neither Israeli soldiers nor journalists would dare set foot, other than rare covert operations which where generally covered in a fog of mystery.
Syrian society and the Syrian military themselves were also an opaque mystery to most Israelis and much of the outside world.
And yet with the fall of the Assad regime only a few days before, on December 11, The Jerusalem Post participated in a dramatic visit to an abandoned Syrian base at Tel Kudne in southern Syria, embedded with the IDF, as part of the first Israeli media visit to that country since the 1973-4 Yom Kippur War and armistice.
From the top of Tel Kudne, which was the site of an intense battle during the 1973 War, the nearby village of Kudne was visible below as well as the village of Jaba, and other Syrian villages and hills were visible deeper in the distance.
On the Israeli side of the border, the closest villages in sight were Alonei Habashan and Keshet, which are slightly east of the Gamla National Park and Katzrin in the Golan.
'Post' visits Syrian base
The Post arrived at the Syrian base at Tel Kudne in less than 20 minutes after leaving Israeli territory on an extremely bumpy road in a Sandcat Tigris, a small armored vehicle, very slowly winding through the Kudne village for a couple of kilometers, which was almost entirely deserted.
During the Post’s trip to the Syrian military base at Tel Kudne in southern Syria, it was noticed that various Syrian army materials had been openly discarded lying in public areas.
Suddenly, the veil of secrecy was lifted on a hostile armed force which had been unbreachable until only a few weeks before.
Below are a few vignettes from a few different books after aspects of those books, written in Arabic, were translated to English.
One of the books is a logbook of military activity observed by Syrian soldiers on guard duty, while another book is a Syrian army manual for understanding how to operate weapons and other machinery, as well as how to conduct oneself in different formal military situations.
The logbook
The logbook is signed by the brigadier general of the Syrian army’s 87th regiment.
Probably the most noteworthy section which the Post has uncovered so far – each book contains hundreds of pages – is a period of several days at the end of November describing the beginnings of Syrian army units fleeing as well as their observation of Israeli military moves.
On November 27, 2024, the log book said that “gunfire was heard deep in hostile territory.”
Subsequently, the book notes that, “they folded the tent and all of them got into their cars, leaving the area of operations from the east gate…the gate was shut, with some machinery still left at the area of operations.”
It is noteworthy that the regime of Bashar Assad in Damascus only fell completely over December 7-8 and that the Tel Kudne Syrian soldiers seem to be describing some other Syrian army unit fleeing, not themselves.
In fact, IDF sources told the Post during the recent visit to the base, that the final Syrian soldiers only abandoned the base around December 7.
That said, the Syrian rebel attack on Aleppo started slightly before November 27, such that the impact of that attack could have already started to reverberate throughout the Syrian army.
On November 28, the log book said that “fighter jets were heard deep in hostile territory”
Although other possibilities are theoretically possible, including Russian aircraft, based on the southern Syria location, it is overwhelmingly likely that this is the sighting of an Israeli aircraft. Though it is possible that an Israeli aircraft was in Syria, it is more likely that the Syrian observer is tracking Israeli aircraft in Israel or possibly in Lebanon, though that area is farther off and on a different part of Israel’s border. There is also an outside shot that what was heard or seen was fighting between Assad and rebel forces all within Syria, but this is unlikely based on the southern Syrian location of the base.
Then on November 29, the log book said, “an intelligence one [a drone] was heard deep in hostile territory. Artillery fire was heard deep in hostile territory.”
Once again, it is likely that these are Israeli military moves from within Israeli territory or with reference to Israeli moves in Lebanon. Although the word “drone” was not used, the description and context dictate that the movement which was heard was likely from a drone.
Finally, on November 30, the log book said that, “artillery fire was heard deep in hostile territory.”
This is the last entry in the logbook which the Post found. It is unknown if there was another logbook or if the Syrian soldiers taking the logs abandoned their tasks or their posts at this point, even if some Syrian soldiers remained at their posts until December 7-8.
The logbook goes back a significant amount in time and the Post is still reviewing other entries.
But one example of another series of entries is from April 7-19
From April 7-11, the logbook said that “fog covers the entire sector.”
On April 12 at 12:00 noon, “a fighter was spotted,” again likely indicating an Israeli aircraft.
On April 14 the logbook said that no sighting was recorded
On April 19, the logbook said that an “Israeli jet sighted (flying) to Tell Hudhayfa in the area of Quneitra.” Later, on April 19, there is a second entry which said, “A fighter jet was heard.”
In between the April dates sighted, the Arabic writing was harder to decipher.
Notably, on April 19 the entry specifically references an “Israeli” fighter jet, as opposed to other entries which do not specify who the aircraft were associated with.
Although nothing is certain, presumably the Syrian soldier got a clearer and closer look at this Israeli aircraft than he did on the other dates in question.
Also, it is unclear whether the fighter jet on April 19 is the same aircraft cited twice at different times or two different Israeli aircraft.
At least some of these entries were “reported by first lieutenant Ja’afar Zaher to his commander first lieutenant Ja’afar Makhlouf.”
One of the Syrian army books provided an ironic quote: “The beloved leader Bashar al-Assad [wants you to remember that] a tiny piece from a shoe of a soldier of the Syrian Arab Army is worth more than the heads of all the traitors.”
This quote is profoundly ironic given that from November 30 to December 8, the entire Syrian army, including the presidential guard, briskly abandoned their posts and became “traitors” against Assad. It is also ironic given that the “beloved leader” is now permanently exiled to Moscow, escaping with his life only due to foreign intervention.
The manual
Another Syrian army manual discusses weapons and field signals.
Regarding using a machine gun, the manual said, “The Degtyaryov light machine gun is considered an automatic weapon and one of the most powerful weapons for shooting in the group of weapons. It is intended to destroy the enemy forces and to impact the enemy’s own ability to attack with gunfire.”
Regarding field signals, the manual said that for coming to attention, soldiers must “raise the right hand up, extended, and the palm open until you receive a response.”
For meeting subordinate leaders, the manual said, “raise the right hand up and rotate it above the head, then lower the hand in a glorified motion.”
Next, for showing that a soldier is in a state of readiness, the manual said to “raise the right hand at a right angle and clasp it.” For moving forward, the manual said that soldiers should “raise the right hand up, palm open, then lower it down.”
One book is signed by many persons, including one who says he was born in 1951. Given that if this was a soldier it would make the soldier 73 years old, it is unclear what the context was of the person who signed the book.
The Post may publish additional materials from the Syrian army books in the future.