JERUSALEM (VINnews) – More than a dozen Israeli settler activists illegally crossed the border into Syria in several incidents Sunday, including a group of 10 who entered a short time ago, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Troops stationed in the area returned all the suspects to Israel, detained them and handed them over to police for further questioning, the military said.

“The IDF strongly condemns the incident and emphasizes that this is a severe event constituting a criminal offense that endangers civilians and IDF forces,” the IDF added in a statement.

The activists, who call themselves the Bashan Pioneers, have breached the border and entered Syria multiple times over the past year. The group advocates for establishing Israeli settlements in southern Syria and has drawn support from some lawmakers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.