Syrian authorities have detained two senior members of the Palestinian armed faction "Islamic Jihad", which participated in the attacks on Israel from Gaza in October 2023. This was announced by the armed wing of the group - the "Al-Quds" Brigades - and a Syrian official, quoted by "Reuters", reports News.bg.
According to the statement, the arrested are Khaled Khaled, who heads the operations of "Islamic Jihad" in Syria, and Yasser al-Zafari, who heads the group's organizing committee. The two have been in custody for five days.
The group said the detentions were carried out "without explanation" and "in a manner that we would not expect from a brotherly people," and demanded their immediate release.
A Syrian Interior Ministry official confirmed the detentions but declined to comment on the reasons. A Palestinian source in Damascus also confirmed the arrests.
"Islamic Jihad", which receives funding and military know-how from Iran, has long maintained headquarters in Syria and Lebanon. In 2023, it joined its ally "Hamas" in the offensive against Israel.
In the past year, however, "Islamic Jihad" allies in the region have suffered heavy blows - The Israeli offensive has severely weakened Lebanon's Hezbollah, and in Syria, power has passed into the hands of a new Islamist leadership. The new regime has severed diplomatic relations with Iran and is seeking to restore regional and international support for the country, including by lifting sanctions and attracting funds for reconstruction after the 14-year civil war.
The United States has presented Syria with a list of conditions for partial relief from sanctions, one of which is to limit the activities of Iranian-backed Palestinian groups.
Israel, for its part, continues its military strikes against "Islamic Jihad" in Syria. Last month, the army said it had destroyed a building on the outskirts of Damascus that was being used as the group's command center - a claim it denied.