Syria shell hits town in occupied Golan

A mortar shell fired from war-torn Syria struck the outskirts of a town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Monday, witnesses told AFP. The shell landed on the western edge of Majdal Shams, some 50 metres (yards) from a house, but caused no injuries or damage, they said. There was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli military, with a spokeswoman saying troops were looking into the incident. Majdal Shams is the largest town in the Golan Heights, with a population of about 9,900, all of whom are Druze. The Israeli-occupied sector of the strategic plateau has been tense since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. So far, there have only been minor flare-ups as Syrian small arms fire or mortar rounds hit the Israeli side, prompting Israel to respond occasionally. Israel, which is technically at war with Syria, seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the strategic plateau during the 1967 Six Day War. It later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. Source: AFP