A prominent jihadist from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously linked to the al-Qaeda terrorist militia, was killed in a suicide bombing in north-western Syria, activists said on Friday.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman, confirmed that Abu Maria al-Qahtani and two of his bodyguards were killed in a suicide attack late Thursday in Sarmada, north of Idlib.

The jihadist leader from the front-row leadership of HTS was initially taken to hospital but later died from the injuries he sustained in the attack.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Al-Qahtani, an Iraqi national, had been released from the militia prison of the HTS just a few weeks earlier.

He was accused by other HTS members of collaborating with “enemy forces,” mainly the U.S.-led coalition forces in Syria, activists said.

HTS is considered one of the strongest armed groups in the rebel stronghold of Idlib and was formerly linked with al-Qaeda.

The militia wants to overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad, which now controls two-thirds of the country again, including part of Idlib province.

Idlib is the last rebel stronghold in war-torn Syria.  

(dpa/NAN)