The head of a Tripoli-based association was killed in Syrian troop shelling on al-Qalamun region in the neighboring country, media reports said on Tuesday.

"Head of al-Basha'er association Abou Mohammed al-Rifai and others were killed” in the latest battles in Syria, LBCI television said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, meanwhile, reported that seven Islamists were killed in shelling on al-Qalamun region, including the leader of an Islamic brigade.

According to the Syrian revolution's official web page, al-Rifai “founded al-Farouq Brigade, which was one of the first brigades” to fight in the war against President Bashar Assad's forces.

And before he died, al-Rifai was the head of the Wa-A'eddou Brigade, the same source said, noting that he was killed on Monday.

The web page provided more details on his activities in the Syrian war: “He was the real founder of the coordination committee in charge of taking care of Syria's refugees in Lebanon. Many activists in Lebanon were previously involved in the committee, which provided them with support and funding.”

And the Local Coordination Committee of Rankous said al-Rifai was in charge of supervising the treatment of the wounded in the northern city of Tripoli before getting involved in military operations.

S.D.B.