TUNISIA: Security forces gun down new leader of local al-Qaeda branch

Security forces in Tunisia have gunned down the new leader of the local al-Qaeda branch in the country after an ambush near the Algerian border.

Reports say Bilel Kobi, a local leader in al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the top aide to Abu Musab Abdul Wadud was on a mission to reorganize AQIM’s Tunisian branch when he was killed.

The interior ministry said their forces on Sunday found the body of another militant killed during Saturday’s operation.

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“This terrorist is an Algerian named Bechir Ben Neji and he was the leader of Okba Ibn Nafaa in the Semmama mountain,” it said. Last year security forces killed militants including Algerian Mourad Chaieb, former leader of Okba Ibn Nafaa.

Tunisia has been on high alert since 2015 when militants killed dozens of tourists with Islamic State claiming most major attacks in Tunisia including a hotel attack and an assault on a museum that killed dozens of tourists three years ago as well as raids by militants who crossed from Libya into Tunisia in 2016.

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