Three Israeli civilians, described as settler activists, were detained by the IDF after crossing into Syria. The group spent several hours in Syrian territory before being located by the military, returned to Israel, and handed over to police, according to the IDF.
Three Israeli civilians from the Bashan Pioneers activist group were detained by the IDF Wednesday afternoon after crossing into Syrian territory near Mount Hermon, according to reports and official statements. The group spent nearly a full day in Syria before being located and returned to Israel. They were handed over to police for questioning. The IDF condemned the incident as a serious disruption to operational activity and a danger to troops, and called for prosecution.
Initial reports from Army Radio on Wednesday indicated that IDF forces had removed three Israeli civilians from Syrian territory after they crossed the border. The IDF later confirmed the return and identified the individuals as activists from the Bashan Pioneers movement. In a series of statements issued at 16:08 Jerusalem, the military detailed that the three had crossed overnight Tuesday and spent the night in Syria before being extracted on Wednesday afternoon. The IDF's condemnation came as part of the same statements.
The incident is part of a pattern of border crossing attempts by the Bashan Pioneers group in recent months. As The Zioneer reported, on July 9, the IDF detained several activists from the same group after an overnight attempt to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon, and on July 14, the IDF escorted back five activists who crossed into Lebanon near Ghajar. The military has repeatedly warned that such actions endanger civilians and disrupt security operations.
Questions remain about how the three managed to cross the border undetected and what their intentions were. The IDF has not disclosed whether any weapons were involved or whether the activists will face criminal charges. The military's call for prosecution suggests that legal proceedings may be initiated.
6 developments
- StrongIDF detains Israelis who crossed into Syria
- ConfirmedIDF detains settler activists after overnight attempt to cross into Syria at Mount Hermon
- StrongIDF confirms it prevented Israeli civilians from crossing into Syria at Mount Hermon
- ConfirmedIDF detains 'Bashan Pioneers' settlers attempting to cross into Syria in southern Golan Heights
Source and signal
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