Afghan rebel leader dead

Massoud, left, checks reconditioned weapons early last year.

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Ahmad Shah Massoud, the commander of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance rebels has died, the group announced Friday.

An official from the group told CNN that Massoud died inside Afghanistan but would give no further details.

The Northern Alliance is the main anti-Taliban group fighting the Islamic government.

The confirmation came after a Taliban Radio report that said Massoud, severely wounded in an assassination attempt Sunday, was dead.

The death was also reported by the Afghan Islamic Press agency.

Earlier, a spokesman for the Northern Alliance had said the rebel commander was severely injured when a camera being used by two Arab journalists during an interview exploded.

Massoud's right leg was severely injured, two pieces of shrapnel lodged in his head, his face was burned and his fingers were injured, his brother, Walid Massoud told CNN.

The AIP report said Massoud was the victim of a suicide bombers who posed as journalists. They said he died Friday.