“Jihadist websites” say Belmokhtar alive and will issue message

An activist on a well-known “jihadist” website denied on Sunday the killing of Mokhtar belmokhtar alias Khaled Abu Abbas, founder of the Signers in Blood, in response to an official statement from Chadian army.

“Commander Khaled Abu Abbas and leader of the Signers in Blood battalion is alive and leading the battles himself,” said the activist.

He added that Belmokhtar will deliver a statement soon, which will be a “slap in the apostate Chadian president and the crusader forces face.”

He also said Abdelhamid Abu Zeid, leader of Tarek Ibn Ziad battalion which works for to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghrebdid was not killed in the battles with the Chadian army but he died when French forces were bombing his stronghold.

 France’s Chief of Staff, Admiral Edouard Guillaud, Monday said his forces can’t immediately inspect the damage from every laser-guided bomb that they fire.

He believes that Abou Zeid was likely killed.

“It’s probable, but it’s only probable. We cannot be certain for the moment — it would be good news — because we haven’t recovered the body,” he told Europe 1 radio.