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Abu Huzeifa, Senior IS Commander, Killed in Mali Operation |
Huzeifa was killed on Sunday in a joint operation involving troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in the northern town of Indelimane, Menaka region. Mali state TV hailed the operation as "a victory against a bane of evil."
A significant blow has been dealt to the Islamic State (IS) in the Sahel region with the killing of senior commander Abu Huzeifa, also known as Higgo. Huzeifa, a Moroccan national, had a $5 million bounty on his head and was linked to several high-profile attacks, including a 2017 raid that killed four US soldiers and several Nigerien troops.
Huzeifa was killed on Sunday in a joint operation involving troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in the northern town of Indelimane, Menaka region. Mali state TV hailed the operation as "a victory against a bane of evil."
The Sahel region has been plagued by relentless jihadist attacks, with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger being the most affected countries. All three countries are currently under military rule and have been developing close ties with Russia while cutting ties with Western allies, including the US. They have been welcoming Russian military assistance while forcing troops from other countries to leave.
The US government had listed Huzeifa as wanted in connection with the 2017 attack on a US Special Forces team in Niger, which resulted in the deaths of four American and four Nigerien soldiers.
The killing of Abu Huzeifa is a significant success in the region's fight against terrorism, and it is hoped that it will lead to a reduction in violence. However, experts warn that the killing of a terrorist leader does not always lead to a decline in violence, and the region remains vulnerable to further attacks.
