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Syria violence: Blast 'kills Islamist rebel chiefs' Syria violence: Blast 'kills Islamist rebel chiefs'
(35 minutes later)
A bomb blast has killed at least 20 people at a meeting of leaders of the key Islamist insurgent group Ahrar al-Sham in Syria, reports say. A bomb blast has killed several people at a meeting of leaders of key Syrian Islamist insurgent group Ahrar al-Sham.
State TV said the group's head, Hassan Abboud, was killed in the attack in the north-western town of Ram Hamdan, though other reports said he was hurt. Some reports say the group's leader Hassan Abboud died in the attack, which activists say was carried out by a suicide bomber.
The group is part of the Islamic Front, a coalition of seven rebel groups. Ahrar al-Sham is part of the Islamic Front, a coalition of seven Islamist rebel groups.
In February, Ahrar al-Sham blamed the rival Islamic State group for an attack which killed several of its members.In February, Ahrar al-Sham blamed the rival Islamic State group for an attack which killed several of its members.
Ahrar al-Sham is one of the biggest rebel groups fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.Ahrar al-Sham is one of the biggest rebel groups fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Two activist groups said a suicide bomber had detonated a vest at the meeting in Idlib province on Tuesday. Two activist groups said a suicide bomber had detonated a vest at the meeting in the town of Ram Hamdan in Idlib province on Tuesday.
In an interview with the BBC in June, Abboud had denounced Islamic State (IS), saying it represented "the worst image ever of Islam".In an interview with the BBC in June, Abboud had denounced Islamic State (IS), saying it represented "the worst image ever of Islam".
Mr Abboud said that unlike IS, Ahrar al-Sham would never pledge loyalty to outsiders and would only fight in Syria. Abboud said that, unlike IS, Ahrar al-Sham would never pledge loyalty to outsiders and would only fight in Syria.
He also stressed that the Islamic Front did not use suicide bombers.He also stressed that the Islamic Front did not use suicide bombers.