![Top Leader Of Powerful Syrian Rebel Group Killed In Aerial Raid In Damascus](https://www.srjnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Top-Leader-Of-Powerful-Syrian-Rebel-Group-Killed-In-Aerial-Raid-In-Damascus.jpg)
A top Syrian rebel leader heading powerful Jaysh al Islam insurgent group was killed in an airstrike Friday in the eastern suburbs of Dmascus known as al Ghouta.
The airstrike was believed to be a Russian raid targeting headquarters of the group. However, neither Moscow nor the Syrian government confirmed the attack.
The death of 44-year-old commander Zahran Alloush is welcomed by supporters of Syrian government.
Russia began aerial campaign on September 30 in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and in about three months several rebel leaders have been killed even though Moscow has regularly insisted the attacks are concentrated on the Islamic State.
According to rebel sources, Russian warplanes fired about ten missiles at a secret headquarters of the Jaysh al Islam group, which has about 20,000 fighters if believed to Western intelligence and is the largest and most organized rebel faction in the area. It controls large territories in the eastern part of the country.
The source further adds Abu Hammam al Buwaidani is the new head of the group.
Alloush had earlier seen on several YouTube videos calling for the cleansing of Alawites and Shites.
Earlier this year in February the group had fired forty rockets at civilian homes in Damascus killing three people and wounding dozens other.