Al-Qaeda chief in north Africa Abdelmalek Droukdel killed: France

French Defence Minister Florence Parly said that Abdelmalek Droukdel, head of the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), was killed by French troops in northern Mali. Many of his close affiliates were also neutralised during the operation, she said. The minister added that Droukdel had led all the AQIM operations in northern Africa and the region of Sahel.