Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Al-Nusra Front) announced in a statement on its affiliated Amjad Media Foundation that Al-Qahtani, who was of Iraqi origin, was killed as a result of an attack using an explosive belt, carried out by an ISIS member.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Britain and relies on an extensive network of sources in Syria, said in a statement: “Al-Qahtani was killed and two of his companions were seriously injured, as a result of a suicide bombing.”
The Observatory indicated that Al-Qahtani’s real name is Maysar Ali Abdullah Al-Jubouri, without giving further details about the identity of the suicide bomber.
No party immediately claimed responsibility for Al-Qahtani's killing.
The Observatory reported that Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham had released Al-Qahtani, one of its first-line leaders, on March 7, after he was detained for 7 months, on charges of communicating with hostile parties.
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham controls vast areas in Idlib Governorate and parts of Hama, Aleppo, and Latakia.
Al-Qahtani has been subject to US sanctions since 2012, and the Treasury Department accuses him of moving to Syria in 2011 to spread Al-Qaeda’s doctrine there before assuming leadership positions in the Al-Nusra Front.
The conflict in Syria has left more than 500,000 dead and displaced millions since it broke out in 2011.
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