Terror leader killed in Algeria

An Algerian terror leader who allied himself with Osama bin Laden has been killed, it was reported today.

There was no official confirmation from Algerian authorities of the reported death of Nabil Sahraoui, head of the armed Salafist Group for Call and Combat whose decade-long aim has been to overthrow the government.

The official APS news agency reported that seven Islamic militants were killed on Thursday and Friday in the Kabylie region east of the capital, Algiers, but did not identify them.

If confirmed, Sahraoui’s death would mark a major victory in the Algerian government’s efforts to suppress Islamic terrorism.

Sahraoui took over leadership of the group, known by its French acronym GSPC, last year and declared its allegiance with al-Qaida in September.

Newspapers said Sahraoui and his right-hand man known as ”Okacha le para” were killed on Thursday or Friday in an operation launched two weeks ago by the Algerian army after an attack by Islamic militants killed about 10 soldiers.

The daily Liberte reported that a forensic police team identified Sahraoui’s body.