Syrian rebel top brass killed in air raid

The leader of the most powerful insurgent groups in Damascus has been killed in an air raid targeting the group's headquarters on Friday, according to rebel sources and the Syrian army.

The loss of one of  Syria's top rebel leaders, Zahran Alloush, 44, is a tough blow to rebel group Jaysh al Islam, which controls of the rural eastern suburban area of Damascus.

Foreign defense experts surmise that the disruption to rebel control in the area could benefit Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian army said Alloush was killed as the result of intelligence on the ground, but rebels are pointing to Russian sophisticated spying planes which overfly the area constantly.

Several rebel leaders have been killed since Russia began an aerial campaign on September 30th in support of Assad,its ally,  although Moscow has insisted that it is concentrating its attacks on Islamic State.

The group is thought to have chosen one of their top military commanders, Abu Hammam al Buwaidani, as their new head.