https://arab.news/67uvw
DAMASCUS: Two Palestinian sources told AFP Friday the leaders of pro-Iran Palestinian factions who were close to former Tehran-backed ruler Bashar Assad have left Syria under pressure from the new authorities.
The factions, which enjoyed considerable freedom of movement under Assad, have also handed over their weapons, one of the sources said, amid US demands that Syria鈥檚 new authorities take steps against Iran-backed Palestinian groups based in the country.
A pro-Iran Palestinian factional leader who left after Assad鈥檚 December ouster said on condition of anonymity that 鈥渕ost of the Palestinian factional leadership that received support from Tehran has left Damascus,鈥� while another still based there confirmed the development.
鈥淭he factions have fully handed over weapons in their headquarters or with their cadres鈥� to the authorities, who also received 鈥渓ists of names of faction members possessing individual weapons鈥� and demanded that those arms be handed over, the first added.
A third Palestinian source from a small faction in Damascus confirmed the arms handover.
Those who have left include Khaled Jibril, son of Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) founder Ahmad Jibril, as well as Palestinian Popular Struggle Front secretary-general Khaled Abdel Majid and Fatah Al-Intifada secretary-general Ziad Al-Saghir.
Washington, which considers several Palestinian factions to be 鈥渢errorist鈥� organizations, last week announced it was lifting sanctions on Syria after earlier saying Damascus needed to respond to demands including suppressing 鈥渢errorism鈥� and preventing 鈥淚ran and its proxies from exploiting Syrian territory.鈥�
According to the White House, during a meeting in 萝莉视频 last week, US President Donald Trump gave new Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa a list of demands that included deporting 鈥淧alestinian terrorists.鈥�
The first Palestinian factional leader said the chiefs joined up with groups from Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen that are also part of the Iran-backed 鈥淎xis of Resistance鈥� against Israel.
A number of Iran-backed groups fought alongside Assad鈥檚 forces after civil war erupted in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.
Sharaa鈥檚 Islamist group led the offensive that ousted Assad, a close ally of Iran, in December.
The factions 鈥渄id not receive any official request from the authorities to leave Syrian territory鈥� but instead faced restrictions and property confiscations, the first Palestinian factional leader said, noting that some factions 鈥渨ere de facto prohibited from operating鈥� or their members were arrested.
The new authorities have seized property from 鈥減rivate homes, offices, vehicles and military training camps in the Damascus countryside and other provinces,鈥� he said.
The Syrian authorities did not immediately provide comment to AFP when asked about the matter.