French forces confirmed to have killed a senior military leader of Al Qaeda’s North Africa wing in a counterterrorism operation in northeastern Mali.
Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, French military strike claimed the life of Bah ag Moussa, a leader of the militant group’s North Africa wing. Bah ag Moussa was also a right-hand man of Iyad Ag Ghali, the leader of Mali’s most prominent jihadi group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
The jihadist outfit has repeatedly attacked soldiers and civilians in Mali and neighboring Burkina Faso.
The killing of Bah ag Moussa is a huge blow to the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. He was responsible for several attacks against Malian and international forces.
Moussa, who has been on US terrorism list, was killed on November 10 after an operation involving ground troops and air troops and comes after a series of operations that have seen French forces kill dozens of Islamist fighters in recent weeks.
Former colonial power France has more than 5,100 troops spread across the region with a large portion in Mali operating against rising militancy.
