Israeli Military Chief Fears Jihadist Attack in the Golan Heights

Syrian troops have withdrawn from the area

JERUSALEM, April 8 (UPI) -- Israel fears jihadis will use the Golan Heights to attack Israel now that Syria has withdrawn thousands of troops from the area, Israel's military chief said.

Syrian rebels increasingly occupy parts of the Golan Heights that had been patrolled by Syrian troops because the troops were removed by the regime of President Bashar Assad so they could fight in battlefronts closer to Damascus, the capital, British newspaper The Guardian reported Sunday.