Syrian rebel leader killed in Russian air strike

The leader of an important rebel group fighting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has been killed in an air strike, according to Reuters.

Zahran Alloush was the head of Jaysh al Islam, an insurgent group in the suburbs of Damascus. Two rebel sources on Friday told Reuters that Alloush was killed in an air strike.

They said the attack had been carried out by Russia, which have been active in the area since Moscow announced it would be engaging in air assaults in Syria. 

While Russian President Vladimir Putin has characterized Russian air attacks as being against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Obama administration has said the attacks air aimed at supporting Assad.

Assad’s forces had experienced a series of setbacks before Russia began providing renewed support.

Jaysh al Islam is the biggest rebel group fighting Assad and is seen as the most organized, according to Reuters. It described Alloush as supporting a more moderate brand of Islam, and being at ideological odds with ISIS.