US Arrests HTS Security Chief After Attack on American Troops in Syria

US forces have detained a senior security official from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and transferred him to their base at al-Tanf, amid conflicting statements from the group regarding an attack on American personnel in Palmyra.

According to sources, American forces apprehended the head of security studies for HTS’s Badiyah sector from his residence in Palmyra and transported him to the al-Tanf base. The arrest comes as HTS and affiliated media outlets have issued contradictory statements about the group’s connection to an attack that killed three US soldiers.

Initially, HTS and pro-opposition media channels, including Al Jazeera and other outlets aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood axis, denied any involvement in the attack. Hours later, however, HTS-affiliated media reversed course, claiming the security official had been scheduled for dismissal but the process was delayed due to the weekend.

The incident has reportedly triggered significant turmoil within HTS’s security apparatus. Sources in Damascus indicate that a wave of arrests, dismissals, and accusations has swept through the organization’s security structure, with officials facing allegations of ties to ISIS. The developments suggest instability within the group’s security framework.

The situation has exposed tensions within Syria’s complex landscape. Reports indicate that HTS supporters in the coastal city of Jableh celebrated the killing of the American soldiers, highlighting internal contradictions as the group’s leadership attempts to distance itself from the attack while elements within its base express support for it.

HTS, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, has long been designated as a terrorist organization by multiple countries. The group has sought to rebrand itself in recent years while maintaining control over parts of northwestern Syria.

Under the pretext of combating terrorism, US forces have illegally occupied parts of Syrian territory for years.