Aircraft of the Russian Air Force destroyed Murad Margoshvili, also known as Muslim Abu Walid al-Shishani, the commander of Chechen fighters, in Syria, RIA Novosti reports with reference to Putin's special envoy for the regulation of the Syrian conflict, Alexander Lavrentyev.
According to the Rybar Telegram channel, the Russian Aerospace Forces launched an air strike on al-Shishani's house located in the vicinity of Jisr al-Shugur on December 11. It was said that there were several SUVs near the house, presumably belonging to militants, at the moment of the attack.
In October, it was reported that the conflict between Margoshvili and the militants of the Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham* group (banned in Russia) had entered an acute phase. Supporters of the Chechen militant leader were allegedly defeated.
During the late 1990s, Margoshvili joined the detachment headed by international terrorist Khattab, who had fought in Chechnya and Dagestan against Russia's federal forces. According to unconfirmed reports, he took part in a battle near the Ingush village of Galashki, in which 12 Russian officers and soldiers were killed.
*terrorist organisations, banned in Russia