Abou Zeid

Al Qaeda's North African wing (AQIM) on Sunday confirmed the death of two of its senior commanders in Mali earlier this year, veteran jihadist Abdelhamid Abou Zeid and brigade commander Abdallah Al Chinguetti, Mauritania's ANI news agency said.

The al-Qaeda-linked North African warlord Abou Zeid was killed in combat with French troops in Mali in February, France said Saturday, ending weeks of uncertainty about whether one of the group's leading commanders was dead.

An Al Qaeda source has confirmed the death of one of the leaders of the organisation's north African wing, in the most significant success yet for the French-led operation against Islamist fighters in Mali.

France gave the first indication on Monday that it believed reports that Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, one of al Qaeda's most feared commanders in Africa, had been killed in Mali, an event that would deal a serious blow to the militants' leadership.

Chadian soldiers in Mali have killed Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the al Qaeda commander who masterminded a bloody hostage-taking at an Algerian gas plant in January, Chad's military said on Saturday.

Al Qaeda's North African wing (AQIM) on Sunday confirmed the death of two of its senior commanders in Mali earlier this year, veteran jihadist Abdelhamid Abou Zeid and brigade commander Abdallah Al Chinguetti, Mauritania's ANI news agency said.

The al-Qaeda-linked North African warlord Abou Zeid was killed in combat with French troops in Mali in February, France said Saturday, ending weeks of uncertainty about whether one of the group's leading commanders was dead.

An Al Qaeda source has confirmed the death of one of the leaders of the organisation's north African wing, in the most significant success yet for the French-led operation against Islamist fighters in Mali.

France gave the first indication on Monday that it believed reports that Abdelhamid Abou Zeid, one of al Qaeda's most feared commanders in Africa, had been killed in Mali, an event that would deal a serious blow to the militants' leadership.

Chadian soldiers in Mali have killed Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the al Qaeda commander who masterminded a bloody hostage-taking at an Algerian gas plant in January, Chad's military said on Saturday.