| BBC News | - |
The military chief of Syria's
al-Nusra Front militant group has been killed in an air strike, the
group has said. The jihadist group said on social media that three other
leaders were killed along with Abu Homam al-Shami.
5 March 2015
Last updated at 17:36 ET
Al-Nusra Front is considered an affiliate of al-Qaeda in Syria, although reports suggest Nusra is now considering cutting ties
Syria's state-run news agency said the army had targeted Nusra leaders as they met in northern Idlib province, the Associated Press reported.
The Nusra Front is one of the most powerful groups fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
It was involved in a major attack on the Air Force Intelligence headquarters in the embattled city of Aleppo on Wednesday.
The group has long been considered an affiliate of al-Qaeda, although recent reports suggest it may be seeking to break those ties. The US lists it as a terrorist group and it is under UN Security Council sanctions.
'Unique operation' News of the latest attack came as the UN's envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, hinted to the BBC that the UN might negotiate with al-Nusra to allow much-needed aid to enter Aleppo.
Al-Nusra named the three other leaders killed on Thursday as Abu Musab Falastini, Abu Omar Kurdi, and Abu Baraa Ansari.
Details of the attack are unclear. However, the official Syrian news agency described it as a "unique operation" carried out by the Syrian army in the al-Habit area.
Other sources quoted by Reuters said the strike had taken place in the town of Salqin, near the Turkish border.
Al-Nusra has emerged as the strongest rebel force around Aleppo, Syria's second city.
Earlier on Thursday, fierce clashes took place in Aleppo near the air force facility attacked by Nusra Front rebels on Wednesday.
Government forces reportedly launched an assault on rebel positions in the west of the city.
Wednesday's attack began with the detonation of a large quantity of explosives in a tunnel under the building.
Nusra Front fighters and other hard-line rebel groups then launched a ground assault but were repelled by government forces.
Twenty soldiers and militiamen and 14 rebels were said to have been killed.
The Air Force Intelligence headquarters in Aleppo was badly damaged in an attack by the Nusra Front
Recent reports have suggested that al-Nusra is considering
severing ties with al-Qaeda to try to secure arms and finance from
wealthy Gulf states.
Correspondents says those states, like the West, are looking for allies in the fight against Islamic State as well as against President Assad's forces.
Mr de Mistura told the BBC's Lyse Doucet that he was willing to talk to everyone in an effort to save lives.
He said there were no talks now with al-Nusra but he hoped they would listen to his appeal, and there was a possibility he would talk to them too.
end quote from:
Syria's al-Nusra Front commander 'killed in strike'
Al-Nusra Front is considered an affiliate of al-Qaeda in Syria, although reports suggest Nusra is now considering cutting ties
The military chief of Syria's al-Nusra Front militant group has been killed in an air strike, the group has said.
The jihadist group said on social media that three other leaders were killed along with Abu Homam al-Shami.Syria's state-run news agency said the army had targeted Nusra leaders as they met in northern Idlib province, the Associated Press reported.
The Nusra Front is one of the most powerful groups fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
It was involved in a major attack on the Air Force Intelligence headquarters in the embattled city of Aleppo on Wednesday.
The group has long been considered an affiliate of al-Qaeda, although recent reports suggest it may be seeking to break those ties. The US lists it as a terrorist group and it is under UN Security Council sanctions.
'Unique operation' News of the latest attack came as the UN's envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, hinted to the BBC that the UN might negotiate with al-Nusra to allow much-needed aid to enter Aleppo.
Al-Nusra named the three other leaders killed on Thursday as Abu Musab Falastini, Abu Omar Kurdi, and Abu Baraa Ansari.
Details of the attack are unclear. However, the official Syrian news agency described it as a "unique operation" carried out by the Syrian army in the al-Habit area.
Staffan de Mistura: "Aleppo is an iconic place that represents all the mosaic of Syria"
Al-Nusra has emerged as the strongest rebel force around Aleppo, Syria's second city.
Earlier on Thursday, fierce clashes took place in Aleppo near the air force facility attacked by Nusra Front rebels on Wednesday.
Government forces reportedly launched an assault on rebel positions in the west of the city.
Wednesday's attack began with the detonation of a large quantity of explosives in a tunnel under the building.
Nusra Front fighters and other hard-line rebel groups then launched a ground assault but were repelled by government forces.
Twenty soldiers and militiamen and 14 rebels were said to have been killed.
The Air Force Intelligence headquarters in Aleppo was badly damaged in an attack by the Nusra Front
Correspondents says those states, like the West, are looking for allies in the fight against Islamic State as well as against President Assad's forces.
Mr de Mistura told the BBC's Lyse Doucet that he was willing to talk to everyone in an effort to save lives.
He said there were no talks now with al-Nusra but he hoped they would listen to his appeal, and there was a possibility he would talk to them too.
end quote from:
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