General Issam Zahreddine, an icon for many supporters of Syria’s Assad regime, was killed on Wednesday in Deir ez-Zor Province in eastern Syria.

Zahreddine’s convoy struck a land mine planted by the Islamic State, which is retreating before a pro-Assad offensive. A regime military source said Zahreddine was involved in an operation on Saqr Island near Deir ez-Zor city.

Distinguished by his long beard and flamboyant personality, Zahreddine became a regime icon for his leadership of forces that were besieged since 2014 by ISIS. The siege was broken last month by the pro-Assad advance that reached both Deir ez-Zor city and the nearby airbase.

He was also notorious for some because of his alleged mass killing of civilians near Damascus early in the Syrian conflict, and for a photograph in which he proudly stood near two hanging, dismembered bodies, reportedly those of ISIS suicide bombers.

In September, as his forces celebrated the breaking of the Deir ez-Zor siege, Zahreddine told Syrian refugees that they should not come back:

To those who fled Syria to another country, I beg you don’t ever return, because even if the government forgives you, we will never forgive or forget. If you know what is good for you, none of you return.

Amid hostile reaction to the remarks, Zahreddine apologised and said his comment was misinterpreted, claiming he was only referring to Islamic State and rebel fighters who had killed Syrian troops.

Before his leading role in Deir ez-Zor, Zahreddine was also involved in operations in Homs and Aleppo Provinces.