Mali’s Army Claims Arrest of Daesh Leader

On Saturday, Mali’s military announced the arrest of two individuals, one of whom is a prominent figure in the Daesh group’s Sahel branch, Arab News reported.

The army reported that several fighters from the group were also killed during an operation in northern Mali.

According to a statement from the military, they detained “Mahamad Ould Erkehile, also known as Abu Rakia,” along with “Abu Hash,” identified as a key leader of the group. He is accused of orchestrating attacks against civilians in the Menaka and Gao regions in northeastern Mali, as well as assaults on the army.

Since 2012, Mali has been grappling with significant unrest linked to militants affiliated with both Al-Qaeda and Daesh, in addition to local criminal organizations. The military government has severed ties with France, its former colonial ruler, and has shifted its military and political alliances towards Russia.