The French armed forces have given some precise details on the manner in which Abdelmalek Droukdel, the leader of Al-Qaeda in the islamic Maghreb (Aqim), was eliminated on June 3 on the occasion of an operation of special forces in the north of Mali, a few kilometers from the algerian border. More than a week after, Thursday 11 June, a briefing was held in Paris at the French ministry of the Armed forces : videos and photos to the support (of the rare elements in the communication of French military), a general familiar with the file has presented the main lines of the intervention.
On these latest images of the intelligence before the assault, taken from a drone Reaper French, the car is visible as well as the bivouac in the rocks next to it. © Department of ArméesSur this still image from a video taken from a Tiger helicopter French on June 3, we can distinguish the vehicle of the terrorists. © Ministry of the Armed
On 3 June, the day of the identification of the target thanks to u.s. intelligence and the French, the operation is immediately launched. The weather conditions prohibit any action the following night, the action is conducted by day, in the afternoon and early evening : a rare occurrence. The operation is considered “major” and has mobilized a dozen members of the special forces on the ground, supported by two transport helicopters, two attack helicopters (a Tiger and a Gazelle) and a drone Reaper French, which has helped monitor the bivouac and the car of the terrorists before and during the attack.
4 dead, 1 prisoner
Four of the five people present on the premises at the time of the assault were killed, including two Algerians : the main target and one of his lieutenants, Toufik Chaib. The other, Malians, have been killed, with the exception of a young fighter profile junior who went without a fight, according to the ministry of the Armed forces.
A member of the special forces on the ground and a helicopter attack a Gazelle, June 3, 2020. © Department of ArméesSur this still image from a video taken during the attack of 3 June from a drone to French Reaper, we can distinguish a black point in the centre : one of the terrorist fled to the top of the image, just before the opening of the fire. © Ministry of the Armed
On videos taken from the drone, and the Tiger helicopter, presented to journalists at the briefing on Thursday, June 11 – but whose dissemination is prohibited with the exception of the five photos unclassified and published here –, it is possible to distinguish a terrorist who fled, before the exchange of fire that last for a few seconds. According to the ministry, the French soldiers were attacked by terrorists and have replicated, and then neutralized the shooters, a few meters from them. No shot of the drone was not recognized by the staff, but the images show that the device télépiloté was in the mode of laser illumination of the target, any action prior to the shot. The bodies were not taken away : they were buried on site after swabbing DNA and search operations to collect information.
A computer retrieved
the vehicle used by The five terrorists, on June 3, 2020. © Department of ArméesSelon the military, phones and their SIM cards and a computer were recovered. Once analyzed, these data could allow armies to better understand the situation in the region, and in particular the tensions sudden and violent between two terrorist groups that are tolerated until recently : the RVIM (Rally for the victory of islam and of the muslims, founded by Abdelmalek Droukdel, who has integrated the forces of Aqim), and the islamic State in the Great Sahara (SAES).
On may 19, another operation had captured Mohamed el Mrabat, an important part of the SAES. The operation, conducted without firing a shot, according to the department of the army, had also helped capture three coaches of the target.
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