Followers of extremist leader Mahmoud Abu al-Qaqaa say he's been shot dead after Friday prayers in Aleppo.

Al-Qaqaa is accused of recruiting militants to fight in Iraq. It's thought he has thousands of followers in Syria.

It is not clear who killed him, but the government has been cracking down on extremists over the past three years, including a number of gun battles in the north of the country and near the Lebanese border.

A year ago, a group of militants killed during an attack on Damascus were found to be carrying CDs of sermons by Al-Qaqaa.

Soon after, Al-Qaqaa was made head of a religious school by the government, so they could keep him under control - since then, his anti-American speeches have been toned down.

The government is trying to stop fighters crossing into Iraq, because of American warnings they aren't doing enough. Shooting this man seems to be key to the government's battle against extremism.

In 1982, an insurgency led by the Muslim Brotherhood left around 20,000 people dead. The uprising began in Aleppo and culminated with the razing of the central city of Hama.