Eurasia Press & News
Syrian security forces have arrested two senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement in Damascus, in what sources describe as part of a broader “security procedure” rather than a criminal investigation. The arrests come at a time of increasing international pressure on Syria’s transitional government to distance itself from non-state armed groups operating on its territory.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Saraya al-Quds—the armed wing of Islamic Jihad—confirmed that Khaled Khaled, the group’s Syria head, and Yasser al-Zafri (known as Abu Ali Yasser), head of its Syrian organisational committee, were detained by Syrian authorities. The group demanded their immediate release, calling both figures “influential actors in the Palestinian struggle.”
Sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the arrests occurred in Damascus and were not linked to specific charges, but were instead part of a general security review. The men are expected to be released shortly, the sources added, though no official comment has yet been made by the Syrian government or Islamic Jihad regarding the circumstances or negotiations underway.
The timing of the arrests—less than two days after a visit by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to Damascus—has fueled speculation about political motives. The visit included a high-level meeting with President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Syria’s new leader following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the U.S. administration, led by Donald Trump, has pressed Syria’s transitional government to expel Palestinian militant groups, including Islamic Jihad, as part of a broader package of demands in exchange for partial sanctions relief. The package also includes measures to dismantle Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile and crack down on extremist factions.
Over the past year, Israeli airstrikes have repeatedly targeted PIJ positions in Damascus, including a deadly March 2025 strike on the home of Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhalah. Other senior PIJ officials, including Abdul Aziz al-Minawi and Rassmi Abu Issa, were killed in Israeli air raids in November 2024.
While Syrian authorities have not officially linked the recent arrests to international pressure, analysts suggest the move could signal Damascus’s attempt to navigate shifting geopolitical demands by gradually distancing itself from long-standing alliances with non-state actors.
Whether this signals a broader shift in Syrian policy—or a temporary concession to Western demands—remains to be seen.
