A top Islamist militant who ordered a
deadly attack on an Algerian gas plant two
years ago has been killed in a US air strike
in Libya, officials say.
Mokhtar Belmokhtar was killed in the
eastern city of Ajdabiya, a statement from
Libya's government said.
The US says Belmokhtar was targeted and
the strike was successful, but it is assessing
the operation's results and would give
details "as appropriate".
Mokhtar Belmokhtar's death has been
reported many times in the past.
Notoriety
Born in Algeria, Belmokhtar was a former
senior figure in al-Qaeda in the Islamic
Maghreb (AQIM), but left to form his own
militia.
He gained notoriety with the attack on the
In Amenas gas plant in Algeria in 2013,
when about 800 people were taken
hostage and 40 killed, most of them
foreigners, including six Britons and three
Americans.
The US has filed terror charges against him
and officials said they believed he
remained a threat to Western interests.
"Belmokhtar has a long history of leading
terrorist activities as a member of AQIM, is
the operational leader of the al-Qaeda-
associated al-Murabitoun organisation in
north-west Africa, and maintains his
personal allegiance to al-Qaeda," said
Pentagon spokesman Col Steve Warren.
Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC Diplomatic
Correspondent
Dead, or maybe still alive, either way the
fact that the US is still hunting Mokhtar
Belmokhtar illustrates the breadth and
tenacity of the US counter-terrorism effort.
While the focus is now very much on
combating Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,
the US struggle against al-Qaeda franchises
continues both in the Middle East (Libya in
this case) and to a growing extent in sub-
Saharan Africa too.
Belmokhtar masterminded the attack on
the Amenas gas plant in Algeria in 2013 in
which 40 people were killed, including
three Americans.
He was targeted not in a drone strike but
an attack launched by two F-15 aircraft.
Libya looks set to be an area of renewed
concern for the Americans, the instability
prompted by the removal of Muammar
Gaddafi in 2011 providing a rich vein of
ungoverned space in which various Islamist
militants, including Islamic State are
establishing a significant presence.
How do you verify a militant's death?
The Libyan government said the strike
came after consultation with the US. Their
statement said it resulted in the death of
the "terrorist Belmokhtar".
Libya has been in chaos since the ousting
of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Its internationally recognised parliament is
operating in exile in the eastern port of
Tobruk.
A rival parliament, the Islamist-dominated
General National Congress, is nearly
1,000km (620 miles) to the west in Tripoli.
Rival militia have been battling to fill the
power vacuum, with Islamic State militants
battling other Islamists in the east.
Mokhtar Belmokhtar
Belmokhtar has been seen speaking
before an operation in Niger
Known as "the One-Eyed", as he often
wore an eye patch, also as "Mr
Marlboro", as he used cigarette
smuggling to finance his jihad
Fought against Soviet forces in
Afghanistan in the late 1980s
A former leading figure in al-Qaeda in
the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), but left
after falling out with its leaders
Went on to lead the Islamist militia
group al-Murabitoun, which has
attacked local and international forces
in Mali
www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33129838

Good..........next

Hope they won't have to kill him again

Lool >>Karma am sure he was expecting that >>>death no be big thing for him eyes

Magician1503:
Hope they won't have to kill him again