RAQQA , Syria, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The leader of an extremist militant group in Syria known as Khorasan was confirmed dead Sunday on an al-Qaida-affiliated Twitter account, following widespread speculation of his demise throughout the week, SITE monitoring group reports.
Muhsin al-Fadhli was a senior figure in al-Qaida's leadership and was connected to planning and financing against U.S. forces in Iraq and perpetrating operations against Americans in Afghanistan and Russians in Chechnya. Most recently the Kuwaiti-born al-Fadhli was recognized as the leader of Khorasan, a little-known militant group from Pakistan and Afghanistan which, like the Nusra Front, represents al-Qaida's arm inside Syria.
On Sept. 23, the U.S. and Arab allies began air strikes against both Islamic State and Khorasan targets inside Syria, prompting the first reports that al-Fadhli may have been killed in the bombings. A U.S. official said the matter was under investigation.
According to SITE, a Sept. 27 Twitter post by a jihadist who trained under a close affiliate of current al-Qaida leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, provided condolences about al-Fadhli's demise.
Thirty-three-year-old al-Fadhli, also known by aliases Muhsin Fadhil 'Ayyid al-Fadhli, Muhsin Fadil Ayid Ashur al-Fadhli, Abu Majid Samiyah, Abu Samia, Dawud al Asadi, is said by the National Counterterrorism Center to have had prior knowledge of the attacks on September 11, 2001.
The FBI had offered up to a $7 million reward for information concerning his whereabouts.
