Palestinian resistance leaders arrested in Syria amid shifting regional policies
Al-Quds Brigades condemn detentions, allege U.S. demands behind Syria’s crackdown on Palestinian factions
DAMASCUS, Syria (MNTV) – Syrian authorities have detained two senior leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a move condemned by the group as unprecedented and potentially linked to U.S. pressure.
The Al-Quds Brigades, PIJ’s military wing, confirmed that Khaled Khaled, head of the group’s Syria office, and Yasser al-Zafari, its organizational committee head in the country, were arrested Sunday night. This marks the first known detentions of Palestinian political leaders under Syria’s transitional administration.
No official statement has been issued by the Syrian government regarding the arrests.
The detentions follow reports that U.S. officials recently presented a set of demands to Syria during a meeting on the sidelines of a Brussels conference.
Among these demands were calls for banning Palestinian armed factions from operating in Syria and deporting their members, reportedly to address Israeli security concerns.
Other reported U.S. requests included permitting counterterrorism operations inside Syria, designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, and forming a unified Syrian army without foreign influence.
Israel has frequently targeted PIJ in Syria with airstrikes, including a November 2024 attack that killed 15 people near Damascus.
In a statement, the Al-Quds Brigades criticized the arrests, stating they occurred “without explanation” and represented an unexpected ‘betrayal.’
“Syria has historically been a refuge for the oppressed and steadfast,” the group said.
“Our struggle against the Zionist enemy continues unyieldingly, and we expected solidarity from our Arab brothers, not opposition.”
The group demanded the immediate release of Khaled and al-Zafari, emphasizing their commitment to resisting Israeli occupation.
PIJ’s longstanding presence in Syria, alongside over a dozen other Palestinian factions, has made it a target of Israeli aggression.
The organization’s leaders have faced repeated attacks, and its relationship with the Syrian government appears increasingly strained under new regional dynamics.
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