Mali: Army eliminates a terrorist from the Polisario front
In a statement, the Malian army (FAMAs) affirms to have eliminated one of the leaders of the terrorist group Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS), originating from the « Laayoune camp » located in Tindouf, Algeria. This occurred during a successful operation in the region of Menaka, in northeastern Mali.
The information was confirmed both by the Malian army headquarters, by the country’s public television ORTM, and by the Secretary General of the Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (MSA), Moussa Ag Acharatoumane.
Named Abou Houzeifa alias Hugo, this terrorist leader, whose head had been put out for a bounty by the United States, was neutralized during a ground operation by the Malian army. Belonging to the Polisario, Abou Houzeifa was known for his atrocities against innocent civilian populations as well as his attacks against the armed forces of the Sahel region and foreign forces. His neutralization represents a significant victory in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel.
The elimination of this terrorist is of particular importance, notably due to the high bounty, five million dollars, placed on Abou Houzeifa’s head by the US Department of State, after his involvement in a barbaric attack in 2017 that resulted in the deaths of nine US and Nigerien special forces soldiers in Tongo Tongo.
Abou Houzeifa, who left the camps of Tindouf, joined Mali in 2012 as a member of the MUJAO (Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa), which has since evolved to become the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS). He was active in the tri-border region and carried out attacks in Mali and Niger.
This operation comes at a time when Mali is facing a complex security crisis, characterized by terrorist attacks and communal conflicts.
