France says killed "two important terrorist chiefs" in Sahel region

Pulse Staff 14:49 - 20 May 2015

PARIS, May 20 (Reuters) - French special forces operating in Africa's Sahel region have killed two key members of the Islamist militant group, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a defence ministry statement said on Wednesday.

The statement described the two as "important terrorist chiefs" and named them as Amada Ag Hama, also known as "Abdelkrim the Touareg" and Ibrahim Ag Inawalen, alias "Bana".

It said they were among four killed during an operation in the night of May 17 and 18.

France's intervention against Islamists in Mali in 2013 has mutated into a broader, regional mission to hunt down Islamists across the Sahel. (Reporting by Andrew Callus; Editing by Ingrid Melander)