BEIRUT (AP) – On Saturday, Syria detained Talal Naji, a prominent Palestinian official based in Damascus, whose group has maintained a supportive relationship with the government of ousted president Bashar Assad. Naji, aged 79, is the leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), a faction known for its militant actions against Israel.

The detention occurred in the morning shortly after Naji left his residence in the Mazze neighborhood, accompanied by a driver and two guards. A Palestinian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation, reported that security officials arrived at Naji's home shortly after his detention and proceeded to question the two unarmed guards for about an hour.

A Syrian government official confirmed to the Associated Press that Naji was taken in for questioning but assured that he should be released later. This official also spoke anonymously, as they were not authorized to provide details to the media.

The PFLP-GC, which has gained notoriety for its dramatic attacks on Israel, has a history of high-profile incidents, including the hijacking of an El Al jetliner in 1968 and the machine-gunning of another airliner at Zurich Airport in 1969. Additionally, in 1970, the group orchestrated a bombing on a Swissair flight from Zurich to Tel Aviv, resulting in the deaths of all 47 individuals on board.

Naji's arrest follows the recent detainment of two members of the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. These two members were identified as Khaled Khaled, the group's leader in Syria, and Yasser Zafari, another senior official. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad was involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which precipitated the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Under the administration of Bashar Assad, several Palestinian factions operated from Syria, continuing to do so even after the fall of the Assad family's 54-year rule in December. The political and military landscape in the region remains complex, with various factions navigating the shifting allegiances and tensions that characterize the area.