GOLAN HEIGHTS, Syria — The al-Waad al-Haq battle waged by Syrian opposition factions has broken the calm in the Golan Heights that prevailed for decades. The battle, in which Jabhat al-Nusra took part, began on Aug. 27 for control of the demolished Syrian part of Quneitra city, and its crossing to the Israeli-occupied territories and to al-Rawadi village. The sound of explosions and fighting could be heard from all sides. We could see smoke rising from several points along the flatland and surrounding hills. The Syrian army is blockading villages around Quneitra, while its warplanes heavily raid areas near these villages, thus making it impossible to access.

Reaching the Syrian part of the occupied Golan Heights is not easy, for you have to go down several roads that turn the Quneitra countryside into a fortified region, where rebels and Jabhat al-Nusra are gathered.

The Israeli flag and a few soldiers moving in the hills overlooking the Syrian part of the Golan Heights could be seen in the Israeli-held Golan Heights.

According to opposition activist Rami al-Mohammed, the first clashes between the rebel fighters and Jabhat al-Nusra on the one hand, and the government forces on the other, caused the latter to withdraw from the border crossing to the side of the occupied Golan.