On Sunday, the Israeli occupation revealed details of a kidnapping operation conducted by a commando unit two months ago in the countryside of Quneitra, southern Syria.
Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee stated that a force from the Iguz unit of the 210th Division successfully executed a night operation inside Syrian territory, resulting in the arrest of a member of a network linked to Iran.
According to Adraee, the Israeli force apprehended Ali Suleiman al-Assi in the Sidon region of southern Syria, in collaboration with members of Unit 504 and under meticulous intelligence guidance.
It is important to clarify that the Sidon referred to by the Israeli occupation is not the village in southwestern Daraa but rather Sidon (Ghadir al-Bustan) in the Golaniyya area, which is part of the Khishniyeh district in Quneitra.
Adraee claimed that Assi had been recruited by Iran and was gathering intelligence on IDF forces in the border area for potential terrorist activities. He noted that Assi had been under close surveillance prior to his arrest and is now being investigated in Israel.
A local website, Sowt al-Asimah, reported in late July that an Israeli force comprising three armored vehicles entered the Quneitra countryside, arrested Assi from his home in the village of al-Razaniya, and subsequently transferred him to Israeli custody.
In May, another Israeli military force, consisting of dozens of personnel along with two Merkava tanks and two military bulldozers, entered Syrian territory in Quneitra to bulldoze trees and agricultural land.
Arrests in Quneitra countryside
The Israeli occupation army has conducted dozens of kidnappings in the countryside of Quneitra since October 7, 2023. The operations typically involve early morning incursions, where Israeli forces set up tight ambushes and camouflage. When shepherds or farmers approach their lands, they are abducted and interrogated at one of the Israeli observation posts near the border in the occupied Syrian Golan.
According to sources, the interrogation can last between 24 to 48 hours. The abductees are questioned about any connections they might have with Iranian militias or Lebanese Hezbollah, or if they know individuals associated with either group.
Once the interrogation is complete, the detainee is handed over through the Quneitra border crossing with the mediation of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to the military security detachment of the Syrian regime’s “Branch 220” (Sa’saa Branch), which oversees Quneitra and parts of the western Damascus countryside.
Notably, Israel’s announcement of the arrest of a figure identified as in Quneitra coincided with a kidnapping operation in the Batroun area of northern Lebanon, which targeted a “senior member” of Lebanese Hezbollah.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
