France says it has killed the leader of al-Qaeda in north Africa, Abdelmalek Droukdel, in an operation in Mali.
Defence Minister Florence Parly said Droukdel along with members of his inner circle had been killed in the north of the country.
She said Droukdel was in charge of all the al-Qaeda affiliates in north Africa and also commanded the Sahel-based group JNIM.
His death was a “severe blow to the terrorist groups”, she said.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.
Click Here to Visit Orignal Source of Article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-52943692
