Enlarge image
French soldiers in Gao, Mali
Photo: Uncredited / dpa
French forces have killed a leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group in the Islamic Maghreb (AQMI) in the West African crisis-ridden country of Mali.
The army announced this on Twitter.
The man, named Yahia Djaouadi, was killed by soldiers during a ground operation about 100 kilometers north of Timbuktu on the night of February 26.
The Islamist group was founded in Algeria in 1998.
She is now also active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
In 2006 she swore allegiance to al-Qaeda.
Djaouadi was at times a military adviser to the head of the terrorist group.
As the UN announced, two blue helmet soldiers were killed in a bomb attack in the West African landlocked country on Monday.
"This morning, a Minusma logistics convoy encountered an improvised explosive device north of Mopti," mission spokesman Olivier Salgado said on Twitter.
"According to initial information, two blue helmets died in the explosion and four others were injured."
Minusma chief El-Ghassim Wane "strongly condemns this attack," Salgado added.
“He reminds us that attacks on United Nations peacekeepers can be war crimes under international law.” The Malian authorities must now investigate and bring those responsible to justice.
Salgado initially gave no information on the nationality of the soldiers concerned.
According to information from security circles, it should be Egyptian soldiers.
The Bundeswehr is currently involved in Mali with up to 1700 soldiers in total in the EU training mission EUTM and in the UN mission MINUSMA.
In February, France announced the end of its mission in Mali, primarily citing differences with the military junta in Bamako.
According to diplomats, the decision could also result in the end of the deployment of other countries such as Germany and Great Britain in the medium term.
So far, the UN mission has received extensive air and medical support from the French operation.
In June, the Minusma mission will be extended by another year.
The current Bundeswehr mandate for Mali ends on May 31.
An Islamist insurgency movement began in Mali in 2012, which then spread to the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Niger.
Several thousand soldiers and civilians were killed in the conflict, and two million people were displaced from their homes.
The political situation is unstable.
The current military government only wants to hold elections again in a few years.
svs/dpa