France kills militant leader in Mali

paris - France has killed a leader of a terrorist group linked to Islamic State in Mali. Another IS member and a woman and a teenager were killed during the operation. The French Minister of Defense has announced this in a statement.

The killed militant is Mohamed Ag Almouner. He was one of the most important figures within IS in the Sahara. The identity of the other IS member has not been disclosed. The Minister regretted that two civilian deaths had fallen during the operation, which was carried out on Sunday. Two other civilians and an IS member were also injured.

France has stationed some 4,000 soldiers in West Africa who are part of the anti-terrorist Operation Barkhane. They must prevent Muslim fighters from expanding their territory in the Sahel, between the Horn of Africa in the east and Guinea-Bissau in the west of Africa.