Al-Qaeda leaders in Sahel eliminated one by one

Algerian security sources believe that information announced by Chadian army about Mokhtar Belmokhtar’s death may be true. The Chief in Staff said in a release on a national TV channel that his forces strafed a stronghold where there was a large number of terrorist including Belmokhtar.

Samples are expected to be extracted from Belmokhtar’s body and given to Algerian forces as part of security coordination for medical analyses.

The killed terrorist’s nickname is Khaled Abu Abbas. He is the leader of the Signers in Blood battalion and president of Mujahidine’s Consultation Council.

According to sources, about 3,000 soldiers including 800 French, 1,200 Chadians and about 1,000 Malians participate in a security operation to release Western hostages and eliminate terrorist organizations. French forces use sophisticated equipments while terrorists are not used to such organized wars.

Belmokhtar … from Ghardaia to Sahel

Mokhtar Belmokhtar was born in June 1972 in the province of Ghardaia (south of Algeria). He dropped school at an early age. His father tried to teach him mechanics but he refused. Bilel Bouamer Hadad who recruited people for jihad late in the 1980’s took him to Afghanistan although he was underage and his father rejected his travel.

He joined armed groups after the ban on electoral process in Algeria in 1992. He targeted the Gendarmerie, customs and public companies vehicles in the desert. He affiliated to the Armed Islamic Group in Belabes, Tiaret and Aflou (west of Algeria) before coming back to Ghardaia.

In 1994, he joined Shahada battalion which operated in Ghardaia and Laghouat. He was appointed as its leader. In 2002, he created Mulathamine battalion and stayed in the south.

In November 2003, the US put his name on terror black list as he worked for Al-Qaeda led by Ben Laden.

Sentences in absentia and international arrest warrants

An international arrest warrant was issued against Belmokhtar as he was affiliated to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. In June 2004, a court in Tizi Ouzou (150 km east of Algeria) sentenced him in absentia to 20 years in prison for forming a terrorist group and theft with arm use.

In March 2007, a criminal court in Algiers sentenced him to 20 years in prison for forming a terrorist group and kidnapping foreigners. In March 2008, he got a life sentence for being behind the killing of 13 gendarmes. He was also involved in the kidnapping of Canadian diplomats.

His last attack was on a gas complex in Tiguentourine (south of Algeria) which was carried out by the Signers in Blood.