Overview

• Syrian authorities have detained Khaled Khaled, head of PIJ operations in Syria, and Yasser al-Zafari, head of its organizational committee, for five days without providing reasons.
• The arrests follow a US demand for Syria to ban Palestinian armed groups as part of eight conditions for sanctions relief presented in March.
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad has publicly condemned the detentions, describing them as unexpected from a country long considered a safe haven for Palestinian groups.
• The move signals Syria’s efforts to realign strategically, distancing itself from Iran-backed factions to rebuild international ties and address sanctions.
• Islamic Jihad, which has faced repeated Israeli strikes in Syria, remains a key target of US and Israeli security concerns due to its Iranian support and operations.