Assassination of Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon: the commando leader killed by the French army
Baye ag Bakabo was the main suspect for the kidnapping of RFI journalists Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont, who died in 2013. Here, photos of the two journalists during a ceremony in Abdijan on November 2, 2018. AFP - SIA KAMBOU
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Paris has confirmed the death of Baye Ag Bakabo, the commando leader who kidnapped our colleagues Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon on November 2, 2013 in Kidal in northern Mali.
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The information had been circulating since Wednesday but was then nothing official.
Several members of Baye Ag Bakabo's family had announced his death on social networks but neither Barkhane nor the Elysee, contacted at that time, had confirmed.
Fight against terrorism in the Sahel: follow #EnDirect the declaration of the Minister of the Armed Forces, @ florence_parly # NotreDéfense https://t.co/KYOY9cXMRv
- Ministry of the Armed Forces (@Armees_Gouv) June 11, 2021
According to our information, Baye Ag Bakabo was killed near the town of Aghelok where he had been since the beginning of the week.
With his katiba he was preparing to attack the military camp of the Malian forces, it was at that time that the order was given by the French to neutralize him.
French special forces involved
It was the special forces, again according to our information, which intervened as Bakabo and his men began to prepare their attack.
The French made use of drones and sent men to the ground.
Baye Ag Bakabo was the presumed leader of the commando that assassinated our colleagues.
He was the one driving the beige pick-up used for the kidnapping.
His identity papers were found inside the vehicle.
For several months he had been at the head of a katiba tasked with eliminating all those suspected of collaborating with the French Barkhane force.
Last September in the heart of Kidal his katiba had notably eliminated an important military leader of the MNLA, Ahabi Ag Ahmayad.
Baye ag Bakabo showed himself little.
But we know that he was moving between the Kidal region and southern Algeria near Tinzaoutene.
One of his last reports dates back to October.
He was seen during the release of 200 jihadists in exchange for
that of hostages Sophie Pétronin and Soumaïla Cissé.
His capture was of capital importance for the families of our confreres.
His testimony could have lifted the gray areas that still hangs over this case.
Of the four members of the commando, only one would now be alive.
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Mali
Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon
Terrorism
France