The head and several leaders of one of Syria’s most powerful rebel groups, Jaysh al-Islam, have been killed in an air strike east of Damascus. Founder Zahroun Alloush, 44, was among those killed when rockets hit a meeting place, rebels and the Syrian army said. The Saudi-backed Islamist group is one of the biggest factions and is dominant in the Eastern Ghouta countryside. It recently joined an opposition summit in Riyadh which produced a framework for peace talks with the government. Ten rockets struck as Jaysh al-Islam commanders met, Saudi-funded al-Arabiya TV reported. The group’s deputy leader was also killed, al-Arabiya said. Jaysh al-Islam later named Issam al-Buwaydani – who is also known as Abu Humam – as its new leader. He is from Douma – a town to the east of Damascus. –BBC Online
