Zahran Alloush was killed in an aerial raid that targeted his group's HQ, according to the sources in Eatern Ghouta.
Zahran Alloush was killed and the head of Failak Alrahman (the second guy in Ghouta) was severely injured.
— Ibrahim al-Assil (@iAssil) December 25, 2015
"Our people in the Eastern Ghouta [suburb] have confirmed that Alloush was killed in an airstrike," a source in the Syrian armed militia told RIA Novosti.
Local media report Alloush was killed in an airstrike conducted by the Russian Air Force. The Russian Defense Ministry has not confirmed the information.
Meanwhile, according to the Al Arabiya TV channel, it was due to a Syrian airstrike.
#JaishIslam spokesperson Hamza Birqadar was killed alongside Zahran Alloush today in #RuAF airstrike #Damascus pic.twitter.com/vmIKq0gF7g
— Hassan Ridha (@sayed_ridha) December 25, 2015
Jaysh al-Islam group has been often criticized for its cruelty, including the public executions of prisoners, drawing comparisons with Daesh (ISIL/ISIS).
#Reminder; In 2013 'Moderate' rebel leader Zahran Alloush threatened a #sectarian genocide against #Shia muslims pic.twitter.com/IV4QY4GNPI
— Mojtaba Ali (@MojAliMasood) December 25, 2015
Zahran Alloush led the powerful rebel Jaysh al-Islam group. Called for ethnic cleansing of Shias, pan-#Syria jihad. pic.twitter.com/9tUs05GxK4
— Murad Gazdiev (@MuradoRT) December 25, 2015
Jaysh al-Islam is an Islamist group formed by a merger of several opposition groups in 2013. Its primary base of operations is the Damascus neighborhoods and Eastern Ghouta. The group is part of the Islamic Front. The group cooperated and conducted joint operations with the Al-Nusra Front. Its leader, Zahran Alloush, was viewed as one of the most prominent Islamist leaders.
