Syria expels leader of leftist Palestinian faction

Syria has expelled Talal Naji, the long-time leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), in a significant move signalling the country's ongoing shift away from the foreign policy of the previous Assad regime.

Naji, nearly 80 and partially blinded by a past bombing, was briefly detained before being ordered to leave the country in recent weeks, according to Syrian and Palestinian officials. His current whereabouts are not known.

"A political decision was taken to remove him," said a Syrian security official, speaking on condition of anonymity to UAE outlet The National.

The source said that Naji's expulsion was part of broader efforts by Syria's new leadership to distance itself from Palestinian factions formerly aligned with the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad 

Syria had long served as a base for Palestinian armed groups, particularly during the decades of Assad family rule. However, following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad last year, President Ahmad al-Sharaa has sought to reorient the country away from Iranian influence and toward Western powers.

The timing of Naji's expulsion comes amid escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, and shortly after the US  launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites - signalling its formal entry into the conflict.

The Syrian leadership appears intent on using the shifting landscape to court Western backing and normalise relations with the US, in an attempt to aid in the rebuilding of the country after almost 14 years of devastating war.

Al-Sharaa, a former rebel fighter who now leads a transitional government dominated by factions once opposed to Assad, met with US President Donald Trump last month. Trump reportedly urged Syria to curtail militant activity and consider joining the Abraham Accords, a US-led initiative to normalise relations between Arab states and Israel.

In contrast to the Assad regime's rhetorical hostility toward Israel, Sharaa has signalled a more pragmatic approach, saying relatively little about Israel's ongoing incursions into the country.

In March, he confirmed indirect talks between Syria and Israel aimed at avoiding conflict on the Golan Heights.

The PFLP-GC had played a prominent role in suppressing dissent in Palestinian refugee camps during the Syrian uprising, acting as enforcers for the Assad regime. In the final year of Assad's rule, the group, with Iranian backing, launched rocket and drone attacks on Israeli positions.

Many Syrians and Palestinians wanted the group to be held to account for its complicity with Assad during the civil war.

 This prompted Syrian authorities to move to shut down facilities belonging to the PFLP-GC and other pro-Assad Palestinian groups. Only Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah has been permitted to reopen some offices in recent weeks, officials said.

A Palestinian security source confirmed Naji's departure to The National, noting the political sensitivities involved. "They couldn’t keep such a figure in jail while Israel keeps attacking Gaza. It would just help pile accusations against them that they are traitors."

Smaller factions opposed to Abbas, including Fatah al-Intifada, the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, and the Palestinian Liberation Front, have also been expelled or allowed to leave to neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, or possibly Iran.