Russian Air Strike 'Injures Top Jihadist'

Russia says one of its air strikes in Syria has critically injured the leader of an al-Qaeda-linked jihadist alliance and 12 of his field commanders, BBC reported. 

The defence ministry cited its sources as confirming that Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani lost limbs in the attack in the north province of Idlib on Tuesday.

The strike came after Russia's military learnt where Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) commanders were due to meet, it added.

There was no immediate comment from jihadist sources on the Russian claim.

However, a HTS-linked news outlet reported on Tuesday that Russian air strikes had targeted Abu al-Zuhur airport and later the Abu al-Zuhur court in Idlib.

It said three people were killed and others injured in the bombing of the court.

Russia said in July that it might have killed the leader of the rival jihadist group Islamic State (IS), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But there was no confirmation from IS and a new audio message purportedly from Baghdadi was released last week.