Al- Qaeda militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar killed in US airstrike, Libya claims

Libya’s internationally recognised government has claimed that al-Qaeda militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar was killed in a US airstrike.

“The Libyan government in the east of Libya confirms that the US fighter jets conducted air strikes last night in a mission which resulted in the death of the terrorist Belmokhtar,” a statement said.

Belmokhtar is charged by the US with leading the deadly attack on a gas plant in Algeria in 2013 that killed 39 people.

The US military confirmed on Sunday that Belmokhtar was the target of a US airstrike.

“I can confirm that the target of last night’s counterterrorism strike in Libya was Mokhtar Belmokhtar,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said in a statement.

He added: “The strike was carried out by a US aircraft. We are continuing to assess the results of the operation and will provide more details as appropriate.”

Libya’s internationally recognised government said Belmokhtar was killed during a meeting with militant group leaders.

Libyan officials did not give further details about the attack. However, Libyan military sources said an airstrike which was carried out on Saturday in the city of Ajdabiya, near Benghazi, led to the deaths of seven members of the Ansar al-Sharia militant group.

Belmokhtar has been believed to have been killed on several occasions in the past.