Mali: Barkhane operation against elements of Ansarul Islam, one of its leaders neutralized

The Barkhane force on Thursday (October 7th) led an operation against elements of the Ansarul Islam group, specialized in attacks using improvised explosive devices.

© REUTERS / Benoit Tessier / File Photo

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In Mali, the Barkhane force conducted an operation on Thursday (October 7th) against elements of the Ansarul Islam group, specialized in attacks using improvised explosive devices.

Oumarou Mobo Modhi, the head of this network of bombers, was neutralized.

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It was intelligence provided in part by the Americans that made this operation of opportunity possible.

On Wednesday October 6, elements of this group of bombers were detected south-east of Hombori in the Malian Gourma, near the national road 16. The next day, October 7, after confirmation of their membership of Ansarul Islam, a unit of the Barkhane force was engaged on the ground, supported by Mirages 2000 which struck twice.

Ansarul Islam significantly weakened

Among the neutralized terrorists, Oumarou Mobo Modhi, directly subordinated to Jafar Dicko, emir of this katiba.

He enjoyed significant autonomy.

The army staff indicates that it directly commanded a dozen terrorists and could occasionally take command of a hundred men to carry out large-scale attacks.

After the elimination last August of the leader of the Islamic State group in the greater Sahara, Ansarul Islam, very active in the region of the three borders, is in turn today considerably weakened.

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• Mali

• Terrorism

• EI