- Algerian security forces have killed a leading Al Qaeda member, Abu Harith Al Libya, during a clash with the forces in the southern part of the country in Tanan, near the Algerian border with Mali, local media has reported.
Mr Al Libya reportedly a commander of the Al Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) who is believed to be a Libyan, is one of the leading officials in the Al Qaeda’s strong holds in north Africa.
Local reports stated that during the clash, another AQIM operative was also killed in Tanan, further saying Algerian special forces spotted a suspected AQIM squad amid the state of alert along the Algerian-Mali border.
Algerian security forces have been on high alert amid AQIM's threat to kill a British national kidnapped by mid-May if a leading Al Qaeda operative, Abu Qatada, held in Britain is not released and set for extradition to Jordan.
Since Mali announced the arrest of four Algerians said to work for AQIM, it has come under African and Western pressure to launch a crackdown on the Islamic insurgency in the wake of AQIM's abduction of westerners in late 2008 and early 2009.
Meanwhile, international experts on al-Qaeda said the terrorist movement has been diminishing in the North Africa base of Algeria since the mid 1990’s.
Al-Qaeda has been trying to use Algeria as a base to set up a North African network, but has failed due to Algerian Islamists who are reportedly more focused on fighting Algeria's military rulers who aborted elections in 1992.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español