Islamic State group jihadists have killed a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in Syria, the elite branch of the Iranian military said Friday.

General Hossein Hamedani was killed on Thursday by IS “during an advisory mission” in the northern region of Aleppo, a Guards statement said.

Iran is a staunch ally of President Bashar al-Assad, sending Revolutionary Guard forces and military advisers to aid him against rebels seeking his overthrow.