WASHINGTON – The U.S. says the military launched an airstrike Saturday targeting an al-Qaida leader in eastern Libya who has been charged with leading the attack on a gas plant in Algeria in 2013 that killed 35 hostages, including three Americans.
The Libyan government and U.S. officials say warplanes targeted and likely killed Mokhtar BelMokhtar and several others. The U.S. filed terrorism charges against BelMokhtar last year in connection with the Algeria attack. Officials have said they believe he remained a threat to U.S. and Western interests.
The Libyan government in a statement said that the strike came after consultation with the U.S. so that America could take action against a terror leader there.
Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said the military believes the strike was successful and hit the target.