5.8.14. Quneitra governorate

1626_map16_mapaction_Quneitra_072025_coi_syria_country_focus

Map 16: © MapAction, Quneitra governorate1626

Quneitra governorate is divided into two administrative districts, namely Quneitra and Al-Fiq, which are further divided into a total of six sub-districts.1627 Its capital is the city of Quneitra.1628 As of March 2025, the population of Quneitra governorate was 111 706, including residents, IDPs, IDP returnees, and returnees from abroad, according to IOM estimates.1629 By comparison, the WHO estimated the governorate’s population at 149 374.1630 For further background information on Quneitra governorate, see section 2.13.1. of the EUAA COI Report Syria – Security Situation (October 2024).

The Israeli-controlled Golan Heights encompassed roughly the western two-thirds of the governorate. As of the end of May 2025, ISW and CTP showed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) controlled several stretches of adjoining territory to the east of this zone, including the area around Quneitra city.1631 In March 2025, Israeli forces entered Tel al-Ahmar al-Gharbi1632 and occupied the area.1633 Most of the remaining territory in eastern Quneitra was under the control of the transitional administration.1634

Israeli forces targeted several military sites and units across the governorate with aerial1635 and mortar strikes.1636 There were regular Israeli ground incursions into southwestern Syria,1637 including in Tell al-Mal (situated 16 km from the 1974 disengagement zone),1638 Ruwayhina,1639 Ba’er al-Ajam,1640 Al-Hamidiya,1641 al-Samdaniya,1642 and al-Mashara (central Quneitra),1643 in the Saidah area (southern Quneitra)1644 and at the Mantara Dam, with Israeli forces creating military outposts1645 and checkpoints,1646 conducting patrols,1647 searching homes,1648 and questioning1649 and arresting individuals.1650 As UNOCHA noted, Israeli operations involved the targeting of civilians and posed ‘significant risks to civilian lives’.1651

Meanwhile, an attempted suicide attack targeted an IDF checkpoint in Al-Rafeed,1652 while unidentified assailants killed an MOA member east of Jaba village in the Quneitra countryside.1653

Between 9 December 2024 and 31 May 2025, ACLED recorded 34 security incidents in Quneitra governorate (see Figure 33). For the period between 1 March and 31 May 2025, it recorded 22 security incidents (defined as battles, explosions/remote violence, violence against civilians) in Quneitra governorate. Of these, one incident was coded as battle, 13 as explosions/remote violence and eight as incidents of violence against civilians.1654

1655_evolution_security_events_Quneitra_dec24_may25_072025_coi_syria_country_focus

Figure 33: Evolution of security events coded ‘battles’, ‘explosions/remote violence’ and ‘violence against civilians’ in Quneitra governorate between 9 December 2024 and 31 May 2025, based on ACLED data.1655

All security incidents recorded during the reference period occurred in Quneitra district, while none was recorded in Al-Fiq district. According to ACLED data, military forces of Israel were involved as a main actor (coded as either ‘Actor1’ or ‘Actor2’) in around 73 % (16 incidents) of all security incidents recorded in the governorate during the reference period. Eight of these 16 incidents were coded as either explosions/remote violence (of which three also involved the military forces of Syria), while the remaining eight were coded as violence against civilians. Unidentified armed groups were involved in around 27 % of all security incidents (six incidents).1656

The SNHR recorded that one civilian fatality had been caused by parties to the conflict or controlling forces in Quneitra governorate during the reference period.1657 For the period between March and May 2025, UCDP recorded 3 civilian fatalities in Quneitra governorate.1658

Israeli operations in the governorate involved the killing of livestock, the destruction of farms, and significant risks to agricultural lands.1659 One civilian was killed in the detonation of a war remnant in Khan Arnabeh town.1660 Information on conflict-related infrastructure damage during the reference period could not be found within the time constraints of this report.

According to UNHCR estimates, as of 12 June 2025, 2 924 IDPs and 794 individuals who had returned to areas of the governorate from internal displacement since 27 November 2024 were living in the governorate.1661

UNHCR further estimated that as of 15 May 2025, a total of 4 657 individuals who had returned from abroad since the beginning of 2024 were living in the governorate, the vast majority (4 636) having returned to Quneitra district. Since 8 December 2024, 2 880 individuals had returned to Quneitra governorate from abroad.1662

  • 1626

    MapAction, Syria Governorate Maps – Quneitra Governorate, last updated 29 July 2016, url

  • 1627

    UNOCHA, Humanitarian Needs Overview 2024: Syrian Arab Republic, 3 March 2024, url, p. 109

  • 1628

    UN Geospatial, Syrian Arab Republic [Map], August 2022, url

  • 1629

    IOM, Syrian Arab Republic: Population Mobility and Baseline Assessment Round 2 – March 2025, 7 April 2025, url, p. 8

  • 1630

    WHO, Health Sector Syria - Health Sector Bulletin - March 2025, 2 April 2025, url, p. 7

  • 1631

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update May 30, 2025 [Map], 30 May 2025, url, p. 7

  • 1632

    New Arab (The), Israeli incursions spark tensions in Syria's Daraa and Quneitra, 9 March 2025, url

  • 1633

    New Arab (The), Israel advances into Syria’s Quneitra after army chief tour of occupied territory, 21 April 2025, url

  • 1634

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update May 30, 2025 [Map], 30 May 2025, url, p. 7

  • 1635

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update March 19, 2025, 19 March 2025, url; SOHR, New attacks | Israeli fighter jets target 90th Brigade and destroy military equipment in Al-Quneitra, 10 March 2025, url

  • 1636

    SOHR, Amid advancement into south Syria | Aerial and ground attacks by Israeli forces target positions in Latakia and Al-Quneitra, 27 March 2025, url

  • 1637

    Etana Syria, Syria Update #25: 26 May 2025, 26 May 2025, url; BBC News, Israeli strikes in Syria a challenge to Türkiye , 4 April 2025, url; Etana Syria, Syria Update #21: 8 March 2025, 8 March 2025, url

  • 1638

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update March 4, 2025, 4 March 2025, url, p. 5

  • 1639

    SOHR, Amid escalating military movements | Israeli forces advance into village in middle countryside of Al-Quneitra, 9 May 2025, url

  • 1640

    SOHR, Ongoing violations | Israeli forces infiltrate a village in middle Al-Quneitra countryside, 8 May 2025, url

  • 1641

    Lister, C., Syria Weekly: May 20-27, 2025, 27 May 2025, url; SOHR, Ongoing Israeli violations | Israeli forces place warning signs threaten Syrians near western Al-Quneitra, 25 April 2025, url

  • 1642

    Lister, C., Syria Weekly: May 20-27, 2025, 27 May 2025, url

  • 1643

    International Crisis Group, Crisis Watch – Syria: March 2025 – May 2025, n.d., url

  • 1644

    SOHR, Second incident today | Israeli forces advance into southern Al-Quneitra countryside, 8 May 2025, url; ISW and CTP, Iran Update March 11, 2025, 11 March 2025, url, p. 6

  • 1645

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update April 1, 2025, 1 April 2025, url, p. 6

  • 1646

    SOHR, Ongoing violations | Israeli forces bombard Tel Ahmar area and establish checkpoint in Al-Quneitra countryside, 31 March 2025, url; ISW and CTP, Iran Update March 10, 2025, 10 March 2025, url, p. 9

  • 1647

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update March 4, 2025, 4 March 2025, url, p. 5

  • 1648

    SOHR, Ongoing Israeli violations | Forces storm homes and school in Al-Qahtaniyah Village in Al-Quneitra, 22 April 2025, url; New Arab (The), Israel advances into Syria’s Quneitra after army chief tour of occupied territory, 21 April 2025, url; ISW and CTP, Iran Update March 12, 2025, 12 March 2025, url

  • 1649

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update March 10, 2025, 10 March 2025, url, p. 9

  • 1650

    SOHR, Ongoing Israeli violations | Israeli forces assault Syrian family and arrest father in Al-Quneitra countryside, 26 April 2025, url; SNHR, Israeli occupation forces conduct three incursions in Quneitra governorate over three days, 24 March 2025, url

  • 1651

    UNOCHA, Syrian Arab Republic: Humanitarian Situation Report No. 4 (As of 26 March 2025), 27 March 2025, url, p. 2

  • 1652

    ISW and CTP, Iran Update April 15, 2025, 15 April 2025, url, p. 13

  • 1653

    SOHR, Having been lured by unknown individuals | Member of Military Operations Administration assassinated in Al-Quneitra countryside, 8 April 2025, url

  • 1654

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East, as of 6 June 2025, url

  • 1655

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East, as of 6 June 2025, url

  • 1656

    EUAA analysis based on publicly available ACLED data. ACLED, Curated Data Files, Middle East, as of 6 June 2025, url

  • 1657

    SNHR, The Death of 157 Civilian Including 20 Children and 11 Women, and One Death due to Torture Recorded in May 2025, 1 June 2025, url, p. 4; SNHR, The Death of 174 Civilian Including 23 Children and 13 Women, and 5 Deaths due to Torture Recorded in April 2025 in Syria, 2 May 2025, url, p. 3; SNHR, 1,562 Deaths, Including 102 Children and 99 Women, as well as 33 Medical Personnel, Recorded in March 2025 in Syria, 9 April 2025, url, p. 9

  • 1658

    EUAA analysis based on UCDP data. UCDP, data covering from 1 March to 31 May 2025 provided by courtesy of UCDP in an email, 12 June 2025.

  • 1660

    SOHR, Landmine explosion | Civilian killed in Al-Quneitra countryside, 5 May 2025, url

  • 1661

    UNHCR, Syrian Arab Republic: Syria governorates IDPs and IDP returnees overview [Map], 12 June 2025, url

  • 1662

    UNHCR, Syrian returnees' figures by sub-districts - data 15 May 2025, 15 May 2025, url