Wave of assassinations hit Syria's opposition Idlib province

Syria's opposition province of Idlib has been hit by a wave of killings, as gunmen target rebel commanders, clerics and activists.

Rebel officers and fighters were killed in explosions or shot dead by gunmen in the latest spike in assassinations in Idlib province, which started on Thursday.

Around 30 people have been assassinated in the past four days in opposition areas of Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces.

Two explosions rang out in Jisr al-Shighour city, Idlib province on Sunday killing one person and injuring another.

A rebel officer who had defected from the Syrian army and the police chief of rebel-held Dana town were also killed by gunmen.

Most of the deaths appear to be the result of rebel infighting between the two powerful rebel factions, Ahrar al-Sham and Nour al-Din al-Zinki. 

Free Syrian Army fighters and media activists are also among the victims in the spike of assassinations. A pharmacist was shot dead by unknown gunmen this week.

Rebel groups are competing for control of Idlib, where the more radical opposition alliance Fatah al-Sham also control large parts of the province.

Uzbek fighters from the Turkistan Islamic Party were also shot dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

Among those targeted was the Saudi-born Salafi cleric Abdullah al-Muhaysini, who is being treated for his injuries after a bomb was detonated in his vehicle.

Muhaysini is linked to Fatah al-Sham and its al-Qaeda-linked predecessor al-Nusra Front.

He cheated death last June when a suicide bomber targeted his vehicle, during another wave of assasinations in Idlib.

As the Syrian regime clears the last opposition enclaves in Damascus, many fear Idlib could be the next target of Bashar al-Assad's forces.