A price was put on his head by the United States, which had offered a bounty of 3.4 billion CFA francs (around $5 million) for his capture.
This Monday, April 29, 2024, the General Staff of the Malian armies declared having eliminated an “important foreign terrorist leader” during a large-scale operation in Liptako, Indélimane sector, Ansongo circle, region of Gao.
This foreign terrorist was none other than Abou Houzeifa, also known as “Hugo”. Formally identified by the Malian army, he is responsible for several attacks against civilians and armed forces in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
A price was put on his head by the United States, which had offered a bounty of 3.4 billion CFA francs (approximately $5 million) for his capture due to his involvement in the attack that led to the death of American soldiers. in Niger in 2017. It was directly linked to the attack on US special forces in Tongo Tongo in 2017, claimed by the late Adnan Abu Walid Al-Sahraoui, former leader of the Sahel branch of the Islamic State, killed in August 2021 by the French army in northern Mali.
In the same press release, the General Staff of the Malian armies reported the arrest in Timbuktu since April 27 of “another foreign terrorist suspect”, without revealing his identity.
These operations are carried out as part of the fight against terrorism in the Liptako Gourma area, which has experienced an intensification of terrorist activities in recent times.
MD/ac/APA
