Syrian Air Force Bombs Jaysh-al Islam and al-Nusra Meeting

After killing the previous leadership of Jaysh-al Islam in an airstrike last month, the Syrian air force has targeted a meeting between its most senior commanders and the leadership of al-Nusra, reported Fars News.

The Syrian air force has carried out airstrikes on a meeting of Jaysh-al Islam, led by Essam al-Boudhani, and al-Nusra commanders in eastern Damascus, Iran’s Fars News reported on Monday.

The airstrike was carried out on a location in Eastern Ghouta, a rural suburb of eastern Damascus. According to reports, al-Boudhani left the meeting only ten minutes before the attack, and his whereabouts are unknown. 

"The Syrian Air Force was informed by army intelligence units about the exact place of the meeting between al-Boudani, also known as Abu Hamam, and the senior commanders of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front in one of the farms in Eastern Ghouta near Haza town," sources told Fars, adding that the airstrike has killed several al-Nusra commanders.

"The meeting was aimed at removing increasing differences between Jeish al-Islam and al-Nusra militants to form a united front to resist against the Syrian government forces' advances in the Eastern part of the province," said sources in Syria’s intelligence service.

Essam al-Boudhani became the new leader of the Jaysh-al Islam militant Islamic group after its previous leader Zahran Alloush and five other commanders were killed by a Syrian airstrike on December 25 in Eastern Ghouta.