Islamic State leader in Greater Sahara killed by French forces: What you need to know

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that French military forces had killed Islamic militant Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, the leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.

President Emmanuel Macron said Adnan Abu Walid al Sahrawi's death was "a major success".

Al Saharwi was the leader of IS in the Greater Sahara and had previously claimed to be behind terror attacks in the region. His group targeted U.S. soldiers in a deadly attack in 2017, Macron's office said. In August 2020, Sahrawi personally ordered the killing of six French charity workers and their Nigerien driver

The US had offered a reward of up to $5m for information leading to his location.

France has been operating in the Sahel-the strip of Africa between the Sahara running east to west since 2013. It is particularly active in the areas in which it was a colonial power.

The UK has provided support to the French-led operation- including 300 troops being sent to Mali at the end of last year. The death comes as Salah Abdeslam goes on trial in France for the 2015 Paris terror attacks.

Mr. Macron said in a post on Twitter:" The nation is thinking tonight of all its heroes who died for France in the Sahel in the Serval and Barkhane operations, of the bereaved families, of all of its wounded.

Their sacrifice is not in vain."

"With our African, European and American partners, we will continue this fight."