Chad's president says Al-Qaeda commander killed in Mali
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 1 March 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Chad's president says Al-Qaeda commander killed in Mali, 1 March 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/513dd1d226.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 01, 2013
Soldiers guard handcuffed prisoners on March 1 after French and Malian troops reportedly launched an operation the previous day in the village of Kadji, northern Mali, where Islamists are hiding out on an island on the Niger River.
Chad's President Idress Deby has announced that his country's troops have killed a senior Al-Qaeda commander in northern Mali.
Deby said on March 1 that Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, one of the main leaders of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), had been killed on February 22.
Algeria-born Abou Zeid is blamed for kidnapping dozens of Western nationals in the region and killing at least two of them.
Algerian media reported that authorities were comparing DNA samples from Abou Zeid's relatives with the body which is reportedly his.
A recent French-led military campaign has recaptured most of the Malian territory seized by Islamist groups last year.
French and African forces are now hunting down Islamist fighters in remote areas in the north of the country.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
