The split was due to differences between Abu Musa and Yasser Arafat over a number of issues, including military decisions and corruption.

[6] Syria provided extensive backing as the Abu Musa forces attacked Arafat loyalists in Fatah, while several radical PLO organizations in the Rejectionist Front stayed on the sidelines.

[5] Instead it remains a minor faction in the Palestinian refugee camps of Syria and Lebanon, where it was able to organize under the umbrella of the Syrian military presence until its end in 2005.

[4] After the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024, the Syrian transitional government demanded that all Palestinian armed groups in Syria disarm themselves, dissolve their military formations, and instead focus on political and charitable work.

[11] Representatives of the new Syrian government also raided the offices of Fatah al-Intifada, as-Sa'iqa, and PFLP-GC, confiscating documents, equipment, and weapons.

[12] From 21 to 24 December, the Lebanese Armed Forces peacefully occupied some Fatah al-Intifada bases in Lebanon, with the local militants retreating without resistance.