Israeli forces detain 2 Syrians during incursion into southern Syrian village

Israeli forces detained two Syrians during an incursion into Maariya village in the western countryside of Daraa province in southern Syria, later releasing one of them, according to Syrian Arab News Agency on Friday, Anadolu reports.

An Israeli force comprising 12 military vehicles entered the village overnight through the northern road known as Wadi Road, coming from the direction of the plain, the news agency reported, citing local sources.

The force entered several residential neighborhoods, raided and searched homes and detained two residents, the sources said.

Israeli forces later released one of the detainees, while the fate of the other remains unknown, according to SANA.

Syrian Alikhbariah TV had earlier reported that Israeli forces detained a young man during the same incursion before the news agency provided additional details.

The incursion comes amid continued Israeli violations on Syrian territory, which President Ahmad al-Sharaa addressed in his speech at the UN General Assembly.

Sharaa said at the time that Israel had carried out around 500 airstrikes and artillery attacks and more than 1,200 incursions since late 2024, along with around 300 arrests and detentions.

He also reiterated Damascus’ rejection of attempts to impose a new reality, its commitment to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement and its demand that Israeli forces withdraw to positions held before Dec. 8, 2024.