Belmokhtar quits AQIM and joins Al-Qaeda in Khorasan

A letter signed by 14 “commanders” of the so-called Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) showed the reasons behind Mokhtar Belmokhtar alias Khaled Abu Abbas’ decision to quit the terrorist organization. He informed it that he would not work with the group anymore and decided to work for “Al-Qaeda in Khorasan” because AQIM was not active and he was excluded from official meetings.

According to the letter which was found by the Associated Press’ reporters in Mali, Belmokhtar did not answer phone calls from the organization’s commanders and avoided their meetings.

The letter also said Belmokhtar was “stubborn” with the desert leader Nabil Makhloufi alias Nabil Abu Alkama who complained about Belmokhtar “until the last day of his life.”

AQIM alleged that Belmokhtar did not respect his tasks and did not submit reports about his expenditures. He “freely” dealt with the kidnapping of Canadian nationals without respecting the organization’s decisions.

Experts confirmed that the letter is authentic.

It says Belmokhtar’s plans threatened AQIM’s existence.

In December 2013, Belmokhtar quitted AQIM and founded a new battalion called “Those Who Sign In Blood.” A few weeks later, he carried out an attack on a gas complex in Tiguentourine south of Algeria.

In April 2013, Chadian president Idriss Deby said Belmokhtar “blew himself up” in an operation carried out by France and African armies against extremist Islamic groups in northern Mali.

In May, Belmokhtar reappeared and his group threatened to carry out new attacks in Niger which was hit by suicide bombs last week.