Syrian Security releases Talal Naji after brief detention
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Talal Naji, leader of the Popular Front-General Command, was released by Syrian General Security hours after his detention in Damascus, sources confirmed to Al Mayadeen.
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A Syrian government security forces gunman passes in front of an Arabic graffiti that reads "From Syria to Palestine", Jaramana, Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, April 30, 2025 (AP)
The Syrian General Security has released Talal Naji, the Secretary-General of the Popular Front-General Command, after his detention, according to a source close to the Palestinian factions.
A source close to Palestinian factions in Syria confirmed to Al Mayadeen on Saturday evening that the Syrian General Security transferred Talal Naji, Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, to his home hours after detaining him along with his driver and companions.
A Palestinian official had told Al Mayadeen that Talal Naji, the Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, was arrested in Damascus, the Syrian capital.
In an interview with Al Mayadeen, Palestinian writer Hamza Al-Bashtawi mentioned that the offices of the Popular Front-General Command in Syria had not been closed, adding that, as of now, there was no clear vision from the new Syrian leadership regarding its relationship with the Palestinian factions.
PIJ arrests in Syria signal regional shift: NYT
Syrian authorities have made a rare move by arresting two senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), signaling shifting alliances in the Middle East, The New York Times reported. The arrests reflect Syria’s evolving stance under new leadership, which appears to be distancing itself from Iran.
Around two weeks ago, Syrian authorities also arrested two senior leaders of the Islamic Jihad Movement: Engineer Khaled Khaled, who heads the Syrian branch, and Engineer Yasser Al-Zafri, who leads the organizational committee, without offering any explanation for the arrests.
The report noted that the United States has tied any easing of sanctions on Syria to conditions that include the new government's willingness to take action against extremist groups.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who led the coalition that overthrew al-Assad, has been pushing for the lifting of these sanctions, as they persistently hinder economic recovery and postwar rebuilding efforts.
Although certain limitations on humanitarian assistance have been loosened, the majority of the sanctions continue to be strictly enforced.
The detentions coincided with a delegation of Republican lawmakers arriving in Damascus, representing the first high-level US congressional visit to Syria in over a decade.
