The French government did not disclose how they identified him as Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, whose group has terrorized the region. France declared the killing a major victory against jihadists in Africa and justification for years of anti-extremist efforts in the Sahel. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian urged African governments to fill the void and seize back ground taken by the Islamic State extremists. But in 2015, al-Sahrawi released an audio message pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. If Mali’s government were to reach such a deal with Kremlin-backed private military firm Wagner Group, that would be “totally incompatible” with the anti-terrorism strategy in the Sahel that led to the killing of the Islamic State leader, Parly said.
