Libyan militants appear to deny veteran fighter killed in U.S. strike

June 16, 2015 6:19 AM

Libya's government said on Sunday that Mokhtar, blamed for a deadly assault on an Algerian gas field and a major figure in insurgencies across North Africa, had died alongside other militant leaders.

Libyan militants appear to deny veteran fighter killed in U.S. strike

A Libyan militant group appeared to deny reports that a U.S. strike had killed veteran Algerian Islamist Mokhtar Belmokhtar, in a statement published on Twitter.

Libya's government said on Sunday that Mokhtar, blamed for a deadly assault on an Algerian gas field and a major figure in insurgencies across North Africa, had died alongside other militant leaders.

But a statement on the Twitter account of the Ansar al Sharia militant group had a list of seven people it said had died in the attack that did not include a name resembling Belmokhtar's.

"While we eulogise these heroes ... we deny the killing of any other personalities besides those whom we have named who are sons of this land (Libya)," the statement added.

Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the statement.

U.S. officials have not confirmed the reports that Belmokhtar was killed in eastern Libya, saying on Monday that the F-15 jet raid appeared to have succeeded but stopping short of commenting on his demise.

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