Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb confirmed that the Algerian army has killed one of its senior officials, like reported by aawsat.com.
Adel Seghiri — also known as Abu Ruwaha al-Qasantini — was among those running the group’s Al-Andalus media wing responsible for putting out videos and statements.
The army said on Thursday it killed “two dangerous terrorists” in the Jijel region, 400 kilometers east of the capital Algiers.
Seghiri was an active member of militant groups since the 1990s. He had been severely injured in confrontations with the Algerian army in 1996 and became the terrorist organization’s propagandist in 2013, the group said.
An expert in security affairs told Asharq Al-Awsat that his death dealt a severe blow to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which has staged kidnappings and attacks across Africa’s Sahel and Maghreb regions.
Also Sunday, the defense ministry said in a statement that terrorist Hajj Quwaider known as al-Shaanbi surrendered to the army in the southern region of Tamanrasset.
The army confiscated a Kalashnikov rifle and four ammunition depots during his arrest.
The statement said that Quwaider had joined extremists in 2011.