Syrian authorities have arrested two senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement in Damascus, showing a possible change in Damascus’ policy toward foreign factions long rooted in the country under the former Assad regime.
The Al-Quds Brigades, PIJ’s armed wing, confirmed Tuesday that Syrian security forces detained Khalid Khalid, the group’s official in Syria, and Yassir al-Zafari, who heads the organizational committee for PIJ’s Syrian activities. The arrests reportedly occurred over the weekend as part of a broader security sweep. No official charges have been filed, and the Syrian government has yet to comment publicly.
“This is not the treatment we expected from our brothers” Al-Quds Brigades said in a statement, urging the immediate release of the two men and emphasizing their humanitarian work for Palestinian refugees in Syria. The group warned that their continued detention could damage long-standing ties with the Syrian people and government.
The timing of the arrests—coming less than 48 hours after Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas visited Damascus and met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa—has fueled speculation about possible political motives. Abbas’s visit marked his first to Syria in 16 years and followed growing international pressure on Syria to distance itself from armed factions using the country as a launching pad, in exchange for easing Western sanctions.
US Pressure and Iranian Ties Add Context
According to The Wall Street Journal, the US recently presented Syria with a list of confidence-building steps needed to begin sanctions relief, which included expelling armed Palestinian groups from its territory. PIJ, which has maintained operational bases in Syria since the 1990s, is closely linked to Iran and has often drawn Israeli strikes in Damascus, most recently on March 13 when Secretary-General Ziad al-Nakhalah’s residence was hit by an Israeli airstrike.
Though PIJ did not field troops alongside the Assad regime with other Iranian allies, it remained in Damascus during the conflict, unlike factions such as Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine–General Command, which either left Syria or joined Assad.
An Uncertain Future for Palestinian Factions in Syria
According to the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, there are reassurances from sources close to the Syrian government that Khalid and al-Zafari will be released soon; however, their detention marks an unprecedented move in Syria’s post-conflict political landscape. It is the first known instance of senior Palestinian leaders being arrested since Assad’s fall in December 2024.
As of now, no Palestinian faction aside from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Fatah movement—aligned with Abbas—maintains official headquarters in Syria. Most others have either been shut down or absorbed into government control.
Whether the detentions reflect an isolated incident or a broader policy shift remains unclear. For now, the reason and nature of the arrests are unknown, exposing the unknown if complicated, future of ties with Palestinian militant groups in Syria.
