On December 7, 2023, Saraya Al-Quds, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), eulogized two of its fighters who allegedly were killed in south Lebanon in a combat against Israel.
Citing a Quranic verse that promises heavens for “martyrs,” the statement, which was posted on the group’s Telegram channel, identified the two fighters as Mohammad Ahmad Saleh (31 years) and Malik Ahmad Omar, a.k.a. Abu Hussien (27 years).
The statement explained that the two fighters, who originally were members of the Syria-based Shahid Ali Al-Usud Brigade, were killed in south Lebanon near the borders with Israel during “Al-Aqsa Flood Battle, while performing their combat duty.”
The channel also posted photos of the two slain fighters.
Background
This the first time that the PIJ reports that it had fighters in south Lebanon. The Lebanese Hizbullah control the area.
On October 25, 2023, Hizbullah-affiliated Al-Manar TV channel reported that Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah had met with senior officials from PIJ and Hamas where they discussed coordinating efforts between the members of the Axis of Resistance in three arenas: Gaza, the West Bank, and the Israel-Lebanon border.[1]
[1] See MEMRI JTTM Report: Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah Photographed With Senior Officials From Hamas And Palestinian Islamic Jihad; Delivers First Message Since Outbreak Of War: Hizbullah Dead Are ‘Martyrs On The Road To Jerusalem,’ October 25, 2023.