The government of Libya has confirmed that Moktar Belmokhtar, a leader of al-Qaeda linked group in Algeria has been killed in a coordinated strike by the US.
In the early hours of Sunday, June 14, 2015 the Department of the US Defence stated its military conducted a counter-terrorism attack against an al-Qaeda associated target in Libya on the late hours of Saturday, June 13, 2015 but were assessing results before providing more details.
“The Libyan government in the east of Libya confirms that the US fighter jets conducted air strikes last night in a mission which resulted in the death of the terrorist Belmokhtar,” said the internationally recognised government based in Tobruk.
Daniel Lak, Al Jazeera’s correspondent while reporting from Washington, said: “They are not saying a great deal in terms of details here in Washington.
“On the record the defence department has said that an air strike was carried out on an al-Qaeda affiliated group described interestingly as a mid-level target.”
“More details have come from the Libyan government.
“The strike apparently took place in the east of the country near Tobruk, and according to Libyan news websites it was aimed at Ansar al-Sharia group where several commanders of the group were meeting.
“What we await is word here in Washington that indeed is the case.”
Belmokhtar is the founder of the Signed-in-Blood Battalion, also known as the al-Mulathamun Battalion, a group that claimed it was responsible for a brazen attack on a gas facility in Algeria were 37 hostages died.
Three American citizenz were killed in that attack.
