Fares killed with another activist by unknown assailants in the southern Idlib town of Kafranbel

Prominent Syrian opposition activist Raed Fares has been shot dead in Syria's Idlib province, according to local activists. Fares was killed in the town of Kafranbel on Friday, along with friend and fellow opposition activist Hamoud Jneed.

Fares had been a prominent opponent of Bashar al-Assad's government as well as Islamist groups such as the Islamic State and Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which is led by al-Qaeda's former Syrian branch.

Salman, 33, a math teacher who lives in Kafranbel and witnessed the incident, told Middle East Eye that people were gathering for Friday prayers to buy breakfast when the attack took place.

"A van came at high speed and fired shots from a machine gun, before speeding away," said Salman.

Fares had been threatened before. He was well known, especially among journalists and activists who follow the Syrian conflict.