DHAKA: The military chief and several top commanders of the Al Qaida-affiliated Al Nusra Front have been reported killed in northwestern Syria, where the militia has been making major gains in recent months.

Syrian state media, a monitoring group and a local activist reported that Abu Hammam Al Shami had been killed but information on the circumstances of his death was contradictory.

Official Al Nusra sources did not announce the death of the militant, who is believed to have fought with Al Qaida in Afghanistan.

‘Shami... was killed with a number of other leaders during a special operation by the army’ in Idlib province, Syrian state news agency SANA reported, without specifying a date, reports gulfnews.com.

BDST: 1706 HRS, MAR 07, 2015