DAMASCUS (Sputnik) — According to the Lebanese Al Manar television channel, the Syrian government forces along with their allies killed Abu Salih Mekki in clashes with the Jaish al-Fatah fighters.
The broadcaster added that the militant leader was killed in the vicinity of the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor, controlled by the government forces and besieged by militants.
The so-called Arab Spring protests in Syria that took place in 2011 resulted in clashes between the government forces and opposition. Since then, the Middle Eastern country has been mired in a war between authorities in Damascus, numerous opposition factions, as well as terrorist groups.
Deir ez-Zor, a major Syrian eastern city, has been besieged by al-Nusra Front and Daesh, extremist groups outlawed in many countries, including Russia, since March 2014.
