Syrian security forces have detained Bilal Abdul Kareem, a prominent American Islamist journalist who has openly criticized Syria’s new leadership and its emerging cooperation with the United States, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Abdul Kareem was taken into custody on Monday in the town of Al Bab in northern Aleppo province, the sources said. Syrian authorities have not publicly explained the reason for his detention.
The arrest comes amid tighter controls by Syria’s new government over foreign Islamist figures, particularly those who oppose its diplomatic and security outreach to Western countries.
Abdul Kareem, a former stand up comedian in the United States who moved to Syria in 2012, became widely known for reporting from opposition held areas and hosting hardline Islamist voices on his platforms. He has worked with several international media outlets during the conflict.
In a recent video posted on X, Abdul Kareem sharply criticized Syria’s decision to join the United States led coalition against Islamic State. The video was released a day after an attack in eastern Syria killed two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter. US and Syrian officials said the gunman was affiliated with Islamic State, though the group has not formally claimed responsibility.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat this, and it probably is going to get me in trouble, but here is the reality. The Americans have no legitimate reasons to be here,” Abdul Kareem said in the video.
He added that cooperation with Washington was unacceptable, saying, “We simply cannot legitimize the presence of the enemy, and I said America is the enemy of the Syrian people.”
Abdul Kareem has been an influential figure among foreign Islamists in Syria, many of whom have expressed dissatisfaction with President Ahmed al Sharaa’s leadership. Al Sharaa, who previously led Al Qaeda’s former Syrian affiliate, has sought to reframe his government as a pragmatic authority open to international engagement.
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In August, Abdul Kareem formally petitioned Syrian authorities to grant citizenship to foreign jihadists who fought alongside Hayat Tahrir al Sham, the group that helped remove longtime ruler Bashar al Assad last year.
The future of foreign fighters has remained a sensitive issue since the change in power. Many countries are unwilling to repatriate citizens who joined armed groups in Syria, while some Syrians remain wary of their continued presence.
According to people familiar with the matter, Syrian authorities have increasingly limited the public activities of foreign Islamists, detaining several individuals with large online followings.
Syria’s information ministry and interior ministry did not respond to requests for comment on Abdul Kareem’s detention. A spokesperson for the US special envoy to Syria also declined to comment.
