'Israeli' forces arrest five Syrians collecting wild mushrooms in southern Syria

• 'Israeli' army forces arrested five Syrian youths near the village of Kudna in southern Quneitra while they were collecting wild mushrooms.
• The detainees are from Daraa province and were reportedly transferred to the Tel al-Ahmar al-Gharbi military base.
• Local sources said 'Israeli' soldiers damaged the youths’ motorcycles before arresting them.

'Israeli' army forces arrested five Syrian youths on Sunday in the southern countryside of Quneitra, in what Syrian official media described as a new violation of the country’s sovereignty.

According to the state-run Alikhbariyah TV, the youths, originally from Daraa province, were detained while searching for wild mushrooms on agricultural land near the village of Kudna in southern Quneitra.

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SANA’s correspondent in Quneitra reported that the 'Israeli' forces transferred the detainees to the Tel al-Ahmar al-Gharbi base. No official information has been released regarding the reasons for the arrests or the fate of the five youths.

Identities of the Detainees

A local source told the news outlet Daraa 24 that the arrested youths are from the city of Jasim in the northern countryside of Daraa. They were identified as Mahmoud Ahmad al-Salkhadi, Dawoud Suleiman al-Salkhadi, Mohammad Ahmad al-Salkhadi, and Abdul Basit Suleiman al-Salkhadi.

The source added that 'Israeli' soldiers damaged the youths’ motorcycles before arresting them near the Kudna dam.

Repeated Incursions and Local Anger

'Israeli' forces have carried out near-daily incursions into southern Syria in recent weeks, particularly in Quneitra province. These operations have included arrests, the establishment of checkpoints, and the destruction of forested areas, fueling growing anger among local residents.

'Israeli' forces have also repeatedly entered Syrian territory and launched airstrikes, killing civilians and destroying Syrian military sites, vehicles, weapons, and ammunition, according to Syrian media reports.

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Targeting Civilians Collecting Mushrooms

The arrests come amid a series of incidents targeting civilians collecting wild mushrooms, often referred to locally as “the meat of the poor” due to their importance as a seasonal food and income source. 

In another incident a few days earlier, Israeli Occupation Forces opened fire on civilians near the village of al-Asheh in the southern Quneitra countryside while they were foraging for mushrooms, SANA reported.

Mushroom Foraging as a Livelihood

A previous report highlighted the economic importance of mushroom gathering in Quneitra. The province’s climate, characterized by heavy rainfall often accompanied by thunderstorms, is well-suited for wild mushroom growth.

While mushroom foraging is a long-standing tradition, it has increasingly become a temporary source of income for many residents, especially displaced families with limited job opportunities.

Additional Arrests and Military Expansion

In a related development, Daraa 24 reported that 'Israeli' forces also arrested Ibrahim Ghazi al-Shanour, a shepherd from the village of Saida al-Hanout in the southern Quneitra countryside. 'Israeli' troops were also reported to have advanced on Saturday into the village of Taranja, reaching the outskirts of Jabata al-Khashab in northern Quneitra.

Meanwhile, 'Israeli' forces have expanded the positions they occupy in Tel al-Ahmar al-Gharbi, where they have been stationed since the fall of the former Syrian regime. The forces erected earthen berms and carried out fortification and reinforcement of existing positions.

Syria Condemns 'Israeli' Presence

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, 'Israel' expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria.

Damascus has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of 'Israeli' forces from Syrian territory, stressing that all measures taken by 'Israel' in southern Syria are null and void and have no legal effect under international law.