France's armed forces minister claimed on Friday that French forces killed an al-Qaeda leader during an operation in Africa's Sahel area, vowing to maintain a significant military presence in the region a day after President Emmanuel Macron ordered a drawdown.

Florence Parly alleged in an impromptu speech that Baye ag Bakabo, who she said was responsible for the deaths of two French journalists in Mali in 2013, was slain on June 5. Three more terrorists were killed in the attack.

“An operation was then initiated against an armed terrorist group that was preparing to discharge mortar fire on a base controlled by a Chadian battalion of MINUSMA,” Parly explained. “F