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(Image source: The New York Times)
BY ALEX MALLIN
ANCHOR CANDICE AVILES
Mokhtar Belmokhtar—one of the world’s most wanted men—was reportedly killed Saturday
by Chad troops. The Telegraph’s David Blair says Belmokhtar’s death would strike a major
blow to the Islamist militant operations in North Africa.
“In January he carried out the attack on an Algerian oil and gas installation, which
led to the capture of hundreds of hostages, and 37 of whom were killed.”
The attack made the prominent radical with ties to Al Qaeda a high priority target for
many countries, including the U.S. Three of the hostages killed in Algeria were Americans.
Belmokhtar was known as Mr. Marlboro for his cigarette smuggling operations, but Chadian
officials announced his death on state television as the second major victory this weekend against
jihadist forces in the region. Chad’s military spokesman said they also killed Abu Zeid,
another important Al-Qaeda commander. “Since the start of this war, for the first
time our soldiers have been successful and killed the two main jihadist leaders who were
located in the north of Mali.” The CIA has wanted to catch Belmokhtar since
the early 1990s, but he earned the title of the “uncatchable man” after several false
death and capture reports. It’s probably the reason the White House
is waiting to confirm Belmokhtar’s death until DNA test results are confirmed.
Belmokhtar’s death would signal a major victory for Chad and French forces who have
been fighting to remove terrorist groups from North Africa. French officials say they have
killed over 40 jihadists in the region just in the last week.