Syrian residents of border villages where IDF troops are currently stationed have been collecting weapons, including chemical weapons, left over from the Assad regime and handing them over to the IDF for controlled destruction, Channel 12 News reported on Monday evening. According to the report, the rebels are assisting the villagers in collecting the weapons and transferring them to the IDF. “We found several weapons filled with chemical warfare agents,” one of the IDF soldiers told Channel 12. “There are boxes filled with grenades containing chemical agents that can cause irritation [likely tear gas], and shouldn’t be touched directly.” Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF troops to prepare for a prolonged presence in the buffer zone, until the new regime establishes a stable government. The security establishment is working to win the full cooperation of the Syrian villagers, who have already cooperated with Israeli security forces to prevent hostile rebels from reaching the area. The threat of hostile rebels may have played a part in the IDF’s decision to station troops in the buffer zone, creating a defense position for residents of the Golan on the Israeli side of the border. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)