Report: Syria’s new government arrests leaders of Palestinian terror group

Two terrorists from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s operations in Syria were reportedly arrested by the new regime, which has also cracked down weapons smuggling by the group’s sponsor, Iran.

By World Israel News Staff

The new Syrian regime has arrested two senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror organization, Arabic media outlets reported on Monday night.

According to reports by Sky News Arabia, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq Al-Awsat, and the German Press Agency, Damascus security personnel have detained Khaled Khaled, the chief of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement’s operations in Syria, and Abu Ali Yasser, the head of the PIJ’s steering committee in Syria.

The arrests came over the weekend, according to the reports, less than two days after Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas traveled to Syria to meet with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Syrian media reports linked the arrests of Khaled and Yasser to the new regime’s attempt to crack down on Iranian influence inside the country, accusing the two of collaboration with Iran.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a Sunni Islamist movement. However, like Hamas, it is sponsored heavily by Tehran and considering to become another de facto proxy of Iran.

As part of the broader effort to combat Iranian entrenchment in Syria, regime forces earlier this week intercepted a large shipment of Iranian weapons destined for the southern Syrian provinces of Suwayda and Daraa.

According to a statement by Syrian interior ministry on Monday, the shipment included heavy machine guns, large quantities of ammunition and heavy weaponry, including Katyusha rockets and anti-tank missiles.

Days earlier, regime forces uncovered a weapons cache, including light and medium weapons, in a village to the west of Homs.