This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/11/french-kill-jihadist-ahmed-al-tilemsi-mali-al-mourabitoun-islamist

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
French forces kill senior jihadi in northern Mali French forces kill senior jihadi in northern Mali
(about 3 hours later)
French forces in northern Mali have killed a senior commander of the al-Mourabitoun Islamist group who was wanted by the US, a defence ministry spokesman said on Thursday. French forces in northern Mali have killed a senior commander of the al-Mourabitoun Islamist group who was wanted by the US, a spokesman for France’s defence ministry said on Thursday.
The US has offered a $5m (£3.2m) reward for information leading to the arrest of Ahmed al-Tilemsi, who took part in the 2011 kidnapping of two French nationals in Niger and of three aid workers in Algeria later that year.The US has offered a $5m (£3.2m) reward for information leading to the arrest of Ahmed al-Tilemsi, who took part in the 2011 kidnapping of two French nationals in Niger and of three aid workers in Algeria later that year.
Tilemsi was a founding member of the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJWA), which merged with fighters loyal to veteran Islamist leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar to form al-Mourabitoun last year. Tilemsi was a founding member of the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (Mujwa), which merged with fighters loyal to veteran Islamist leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar to form al-Mourabitoun last year.
“Last night, we launched an operation in the Gao region in coordination with Malian forces,” Colonel Gilles Jarron told reporters in Paris. He added that Tilemsi had been killed and a dozen other Islamists “neutralised”, but did not specify if that meant killed or arrested. “Last night, we launched an operation in the Gao region in coordination with Malian forces,” Col Gilles Jarron told reporters in Paris on Thursday. He added that Tilemsi had been killed and a dozen other Islamists “neutralised”, but did not specify wether that meant killed or arrested.
MUJWA – Belmokhtar’s men and members of al-Qaida’s north Africa arm, AQIM – formed a loose alliance of fighters that seized northern Mali’s desert regions in 2012. Mujwa, Belmokhtar’s group and members of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) formed a loose alliance of fighters that seized northern Mali’s desert regions in 2012.
The militants were scattered by a French offensive in January 2013 but France has kept about 3,200 troops in the Sahara-Sahel region as part of a counter-insurgency force.The militants were scattered by a French offensive in January 2013 but France has kept about 3,200 troops in the Sahara-Sahel region as part of a counter-insurgency force.
An additional 200-400 special forces have a mandate to hunt down leaders of the Islamist groups, which have mounted a resurgence in recent months with a series of attacks that have killed dozens of UN peacekeepers in Mali.An additional 200-400 special forces have a mandate to hunt down leaders of the Islamist groups, which have mounted a resurgence in recent months with a series of attacks that have killed dozens of UN peacekeepers in Mali.
The last of the French hostages held by the al-Qaida-linked militants was freed earlier this week, amid claims of a prisoner swap with his abductors.The last of the French hostages held by the al-Qaida-linked militants was freed earlier this week, amid claims of a prisoner swap with his abductors.