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Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar 'killed in Mali' | Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar 'killed in Mali' |
(35 minutes later) | |
Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar has been killed by Chadian soldiers in Mali, Chad's armed forces say. | Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar has been killed by Chadian soldiers in Mali, Chad's armed forces say. |
His death was announced on Chadian state television but has not been confirmed by other sources. | His death was announced on Chadian state television but has not been confirmed by other sources. |
Mokhtar Belmokhtar is a former al-Qaeda leader said to have ordered January's attack on an Algerian gas plant where at least 37 hostages were killed. | |
Chadian troops are fighting Islamist militants in Mali as part of an international force led by France. | Chadian troops are fighting Islamist militants in Mali as part of an international force led by France. |
"Chadian forces in Mali completely destroyed the main jihadist base in the Adrar de Ifhogas mountains... killing several terrorists including leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar," the army statement on Chadian TV said. | "Chadian forces in Mali completely destroyed the main jihadist base in the Adrar de Ifhogas mountains... killing several terrorists including leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar," the army statement on Chadian TV said. |
Weapons, equipment and 60 vehicles were seized, it added. | Weapons, equipment and 60 vehicles were seized, it added. |
If confirmed, the death would be a major blow to Islamist militants in Mali, the BBC's West Africa correspondent Tomas Fessy says. | If confirmed, the death would be a major blow to Islamist militants in Mali, the BBC's West Africa correspondent Tomas Fessy says. |
'Mr Malboro' | 'Mr Malboro' |
Reports of the killing came a day after Chadian President Idriss Deby said the country's forces killed al-Qaeda militant Abdelhamid Abou Zeid during clashes in northern Mali. | Reports of the killing came a day after Chadian President Idriss Deby said the country's forces killed al-Qaeda militant Abdelhamid Abou Zeid during clashes in northern Mali. |
Abou Zeid - whose death is still to be confirmed by DNA evidence - is said to be second-in-command of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which is fighting foreign forces in Mali. | Abou Zeid - whose death is still to be confirmed by DNA evidence - is said to be second-in-command of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which is fighting foreign forces in Mali. |
Algerian-born Mokhtar Belmokhtar has been fighting as an Islamist militant for more than two decades. | Algerian-born Mokhtar Belmokhtar has been fighting as an Islamist militant for more than two decades. |
He claimed to have received military training in Afghanistan before returning to Algeria, where he lost an eye fighting in the Islamist insurgency in the 1990s. | He claimed to have received military training in Afghanistan before returning to Algeria, where he lost an eye fighting in the Islamist insurgency in the 1990s. |
He then joined AQIM - which operates across the Sahara - before breaking off to lead his own group. | He then joined AQIM - which operates across the Sahara - before breaking off to lead his own group. |
He is also known as "Mr Malboro" because of his alleged role in cigarette smuggling in the region. | He is also known as "Mr Malboro" because of his alleged role in cigarette smuggling in the region. |