The Malian army announced on Saturday the capture of a prominent leader of the Islamic State in the Sahel region following a successful intelligence operation.
According to the statement issued by the Malian Armed Forces, the operation took place on Friday and resulted in the arrest of Mohamed Ould Arkhil, known by his aliases “Abu Rukiya” and “Abu Hash.” The military confirmed that several militants from the group were neutralized during the operation, which also led to the seizure of large quantities of weapons, including components used to manufacture explosives.
“Abu Hash,” a high-ranking figure in ISIS, has been a wanted individual for a long time due to his involvement in coordinating numerous mass atrocities and human rights violations against civilians in the regions of Menaka and Gao.
Since 2012, Mali has been grappling with instability caused by jihadist groups linked to both al-Qaeda and ISIS, as well as local criminal gangs. The ongoing conflict continues to impact the security and stability of the country, with frequent clashes between insurgents, local armed groups, and government forces.
