New York Times: Al Qaeda Denies U.S. Strike Killed Key Jihadist in Libya
Al Qaeda’s branch in North Africa, in a stinging statement issued Thursday, denied that the jihadist leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar had been killed in an American airstrike in Libya this week.
“In the face of these fallacies, and so that we do not leave our Muslim nation as prey to these lies,” the statement issued by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said, using a nom de guerre for Mr. Belmokhtar, “the jihadist commander Khaled Abou Abbas is still alive and kicking and wandering the land of God.”
It was the second such statement denying that Mr. Belmokhtar, the man behind the 2013 seizure of an Algerian gas plant that left 38 foreign hostages dead, had been killed. The first, which came earlier Thursday, was published online by Al Mourabitoun, a group affiliated with Mr. Belmokhtar.
WNU Editor: It looks like he is alive.
Did A U.S. Air Strike Kill Jihadist Leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar
Militant group denies U.S. air strike killed Algerian Belmokhtar -- Reuters
France says can't confirm Algerian fighter killed in U.S. strike -- Reuters
France says Belmokhtar 'probably dead', his group denies it -- AFP
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