French forces kill al-Qaida-linked commander in Mali

By: AP | Paris | November 13, 2020 4:59:03 pm

In this May 19, 2017 file photo, a French soldier stands inside a military helicopter during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to the troops of Operation Barkhane. A statement from the French defense minister said Moussa was in charge of training new jihadist recruits. (Christophe Petit Tesson, Pool via AP, File)French ground forces and military helicopters killed a jihadist commander linked with al-Qaida in Mali along with four others, the French military announced Friday.

The operation Tuesday targeted Bah ag Moussa, military chief for the RVIM Islamic extremist group, who had been on a U.N. sanctions list and was believed responsible for multiple attacks on Malian and international forces in the country, French military spokesman Col. Frederic Barbry told reporters Friday.

Surveillance drones helped French forces in Mali identify Moussa’s truck in the Menaka region of eastern Mali, which was then targeted by the helicopters and 15 French commandos sent to the scene, Barbry said. All five people in the truck were killed after they ignored warning shots and fired on the French forces, he said.