France: Mokhtar Belmokhtar leader of Al-Murabitoun terrorist group likely killed in a air raid
French jets based in Djibouti “struck and likely killed” senior al Qaeda operative Mokhtar Belmokhtar, known as the “one-eyed terrorist”, in a joint US-French operation, according to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.
The article recalled that previous reports of Belmokhtar’s death have been false, but said that this time the “caliber of the intelligence” indicated that the strike “likely was successful”.
Belmokhtar was responsible for the January 2013 attack on the Algerian In Amenas gas plant.
He formerly headed al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and formed his own al Qaeda-affiliated jihadist militia.