French troops kill Islamic State chief in Niger in the Greater Sahel
France announced Tuesday that its military killed Soumana Boura, considered one of the leaders of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel (ISIS), in an air strike north of the town of Tillabéri in Niger.
The defence ministry explained in a statement that the "neutralisation" of Boura took place in an operation carried out by the French military of the Barkhane force, which operates in the Sahel "in close coordination" with the Niger authorities.
After locating what was deemed "a sanctuary area" of the ISIS north of Tillabéri and formally identifying the ringleader, the target was bombed from the air. A commando helicopter was then dispatched to verify the outcome of the attack.
According to the French Ministry of Defence, Boura was leading a group of several dozen fighters active with the jihadist group in the Gober Gourou and Firo region of western Niger.
He is considered to be one of the perpetrators of the murder on 9 August 2020 of eight people, six French and two Nigerian companions, in the Kouré park in that country.
Boura filmed this terrorist action and then took charge of its mediatisation, according to the French government, which stressed that his elimination represents "a new major blow" against the ISIS in the Great Sahel, which has lost several of its leaders in recent months.
In June, Almahmoud ag Baye, alias "Ikaray", was "neutralised" and Dadi Ould Chaib, known as "Abou Dardar", and Sidi Ahmed Ould Mohammed, alias "Khattab al-Mauritani", were captured.
In July, Issa al-Sahraoui, EIGS logistical and financial coordinator and head of the organisation in Mali, and Abou Abderahmane al-Sahraoui, in charge of pronouncing sentences on behalf of the jihadist group, were also killed.
The following month, the same happened with Adnan Abou Walid al-Sahraoui, described as the emir of the ISIS in the Great Sahel.
For the French Defence Department, yesterday's operation helps to combat its expansion and prevent it from taking control of parts of the so-called three-border region (between Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali).
France has had a military force deployed in the Sahel since January 2013 to fight jihadist groups. Initially it was at the request of Bamako, fearing that these groups, which already controlled large areas in the north, would take over the whole country.
The mission was later extended to other Sahel countries, but since last summer Paris has announced a withdrawal of several of its bases and a reduction of troops from 5,100 to around 2,500-3,000 by 2023.
