Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron said on early Thursday that the head of Islamic State, Adnan Abou Walid al Sahraoui has been "neutralised" by French forces in the Sahel.

"Adnan Abou Walid al Sahraoui, leader of the Islamic State terrorist group in the Great Sahara, has been neutralised by French forces. This is another major success in our fight against terrorist groups in the Sahel," Macron wrote on Twitter, reported France 24. For former colonial power France, Adnan Abou Walid Sahraoui was the most wanted jihadist in the Sahel.

He headed a branch of the Islamic State group, which is highly active in the border region linking Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, reported France 24.