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Police: Syrian Rebel's Death Was Revenge Killing


Rebel fighters members of the Liwa Brigade, of which Maher Rahhal was part, are seen training in the northeastern city of Deir Ezzor, on March 25, 2014.
Rebel fighters members of the Liwa Brigade, of which Maher Rahhal was part, are seen training in the northeastern city of Deir Ezzor, on March 25, 2014.

Jordanian authorities said Sunday the shooting death of a Syrian rebel commander in Amman last week appears to be part of a revenge killing by family members.

Officials are downplaying claims from the Syrian opposition that the killing was politically motivated.

Police are searching for two Syrians suspected of shooting Maher Rahhal late Friday in the capital's Abu Nseir neighborhood in Amman.

Rahhal was head of the Liwa al-Mujahideen Brigade, one of the groups fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

While security officials and relatives are linking the slaying to a family feud, the opposition Syrian National Coalition publicly blamed the Syrian government.

Rahhal arrived in Jordan for a family visit days before his death.

Police are looking for two Syrians suspects. "When the suspects found out that [Rahhal] was in Jordan, they went after him and shot him dead," the police statement said.

The United Nations estimates more than 600,000 displaced Syrians are living in the country as a result of the ongoing civil war in Syria that began in 2011.

Some information for this report provided by AFP.

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