Syrian rebel commander killed in attack in southern Turkey

A Syrian rebel commander died on Wednesday after a bomb exploded in his car in southern Turkey, daily Hurriyet reported.

Jamil Raadoun, the commander of Sukour al-Ghab, one of several groups fighting under the Free Syrian Army (FSA), was hospitalized after the bomb exploded when he started his car in Hatay province bordering neighboring Syria.

His son near the car lost his consciousness due to fear after the explosion, the daily reported. The car had a license plate given by Turkish authorities for Syrian refugees in the country.

Earlier in April, the rebel commander survived an attack when a bomb was noticed in his car. Raadoun was believed to have links to Western governments, including the United States, supporting moderate rebel groups, daily Sabah reported.

The Islamic State (IS) group, which is clashing with Free Syrian Army fractions in Syria, is the suspected to be behind the attack, local media reported.

Turkey is already hosting nearly two million Syrian refugees after the civil war there broke out in early 2011. Around 278,000 of them are taking shelter in 25 camps mostly in Turkey's border provinces.

Turkey, once an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is now the fierce opponent of the Syrian government and has been supporting the opposition trying to topple him since 2011. Endit