Head of Jabhat Al Nusra affiliate 'critical' after Russia strike

Russia said on Wednesday it had killed 12 field commanders of Al Qaeda's former Syria affiliate, adding the group's top leader Abu Mohammed Al Jolani had lost an arm and was in a "critical condition".

Defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the strike was the result of a special operation to avenge an attack on Russian military police in the so-called Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria on September 18.

"As a result of the strike, the leader of Jabhat Al Nusra Abu Mohammed Al Jolani received multiple serious shrapnel wounds, lost an arm and is in a critical condition, according to several independent sources," Mr Konashenkov said in a statement.

He said 12 field commanders including Al Jolani's security chief were also killed along with some 50 guards.

More than 10 fighters received moderate and serious blast injuries, he said, adding that Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-35 jets were used to target the jihadists.

The Moscow-led forces were able to hunt down the jihadist group using data obtained by Russian military intelligence on Tuesday and struck just when the fighters convened for a meeting.

The Jabhat Al Nusra, or Al Nusra Front, shed its status as Al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate in 2016 and became Fateh Al Sham Front.

Since 2017, it dominates a coalition of jihadist factions called Hayat Tahrir Al Sham.

The alliance controls most of the northwestern province of Idlib after expelling former allies earlier this year.

Last month Russia claimed to have killed several top ISIL commanders in an air strike including the US-trained "minister of war" Gulmurod Khalimov.