The leader of Al Qaeda in the islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the Algerian Abdelmalek Droukdal, has been killed by French forces in northern Mali, near the algerian border, said Friday on Twitter the minister for the Armed forces Florence Parly, confirming the information obtained by the AFP.

This historical leader of the jihad in the Maghreb, a mentor to several groups of jihadists in the sahel, was killed Thursday in the north-west of the city in mali's Tessalit, told AFP. "Several of his close collaborators" have also been "neutralized," assured Mrs. Parly without more details. "Abdelmalek Droukdal, a member of the steering committee of Al-Qaeda, commanded the whole of the groups qaïdistes in North Africa and the sahel strip, including the JNIM, one of the main terrorist groups active in the Sahel ", according to the French minister.