Al-Qaeda’s North Africa chief Droukdel neutralised by French forces

France recently revealed that its military forces had managed to eliminate al Qaeda’s North Africa (AQMI) chief Abdelmalek Droukdel. As per reports, Droukdel was killed during an operation in northern Mali. Droukdel was reportedly a key Islamist fighter and the French forces had been pursuing him for more than 7 years.

Droukdel and collaborators neutralized

According to a tweet by French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, the operation also managed to neutralize many of Droukdel’s close collaborators. The French Minister also added that Droukdal was responsible for commanding all Qaida groups in North Africa and the Sahel strip, including JNIM, one of the main terrorist groups active in the Sahel.

As per reports, Droukdel took part in the Islamist takeover of northern Mali before they were driven back by French intervention in 2013. The group that Droukdel usually travels with were believed to be hiding in the mountains of northern Algeria and operates across northern Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Algeria.

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Parly also revealed that French Forces has captured Mohamed el Mrabat on May 19. Mohamed el Mrabat, according to Parly, is a veteran militant in the region and member of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. She added that the French force in the region would continue to track down militants with the help of local partners.

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Mali has had French presence since 2013. The French, a former colonial power, was dragged into the region when Islamist militants overran parts of the north. While the authorities in Mali were able to recapture a majority of the overrun territory with the help of the French, instability and uncertainty in the region is still prevalent and has even spread to neighbouring countries.

The French troops, which number about 5,100 in the region, are deployed in the region as a part of Operation Barkhane and provide support to Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.

(Image Credit Twitter/@roscatha)