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Syria conflict: Militant leader 'killed in air strike' Syria conflict: Militant leader 'killed in air strike'
(about 13 hours later)
A senior leader in a Syrian militant group that split this year from al-Qaeda has reportedly been killed in an air strike in north-western Syria. A senior jihadist militant has reportedly been killed in a US-led coalition air strike in northern Syria.
Abu al-Faraj al-Masri died in Idlib province, according to the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham group, which was known as the Nusra Front when linked to al-Qaeda. Abu al-Faraj al-Masri died in Idlib province, according to a statement from Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which was known as al-Nusra Front until it formally broke off ties with al-Qaeda in July.
The Egyptian national and veteran al-Qaeda cleric was a member of the group's consultative Shura Council. Masri, an Egyptian cleric who was close to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, served on the group's Shura Council.
The Pentagon confirmed it had "targeted a prominent al-Qaeda member in Syria".The Pentagon confirmed it had "targeted a prominent al-Qaeda member in Syria".
"We are assessing the results of the operation at this time," Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said."We are assessing the results of the operation at this time," Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said.
He provided no further details.He provided no further details.
Who are Jabhat Fateh al-Sham?Who are Jabhat Fateh al-Sham?
Reports suggest that al-Masri was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in was hit near the Turkish border. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported on Monday that Masri was killed when the vehicle he was travelling in was hit near the border with Turkey.
Jabhat Fateh al-Sham is one of the most powerful jihadist rebel groups fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham is one of the most powerful armed groups seeking to overthrow the government of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.
It broke from al-Qaeda in late July, changing its name from the Nusra Front. In July, its leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani claimed he was ending its affiliation with al-Qaeda and forming a new body with "no ties with any foreign party".
Al-Masri, whose real name is Ahmed Salama Mabrouk, appeared alongside leaders in the video announcing the change. But analysts dismissed it as a public relations move, and the US immediately said it would continue to target the group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN.
Jabhat Fateh al-Sham is considered a terrorist group by the US, as well as by Syria and Russia. Masri, whose real name is Ahmed Salama Mabrouk, appeared alongside Jolani in the video announcing the name change.
Russia has accused the US of sparing the group and failing to separate it from more moderate rebels. Russia, which backs Syria's president, has accused the US of sparing Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and of failing to persuade the mainstream rebels it supports to distance themselves from the jihadist group.
Last month, a senior Jabhat Fateh al-Sham commander was killed near the Syrian city of Aleppo, rebel sources reported. Last month, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham's top military commander was killed in an air strike in the northern province of Aleppo.