Syria’s new authorities have taken a significant step in easing tensions with Egypt by detaining an Egyptian militant, Ahmed al-Mansour, who had fought alongside Islamist forces against Bashar Al-Assad’s rule.
Al-Mansour’s arrest came after he posted a video threatening Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, saying he would meet the same fate as Assad.
This move is seen as a positive signal to Cairo, which has been concerned about the rise of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels in Syria.
The Egyptian government has been cracking down on the Muslim Brotherhood at home, and state-linked media has expressed fears about the potential resurgence of the Brotherhood in Syria.
While Egyptian officials have publicly expressed support for the Syrian people, the detention of al-Mansour suggests that Syria’s new authorities are willing to cooperate with Egypt on security matters.
As an Arab security source noted, “(Syrian authorities) are the ones who arrested him, but the Egyptian media campaign sent the message.”
This arrest is a significant development in the complex web of relationships between Egypt, Syria, and the various militant groups operating in the region.
