The United States welcomes the announcement from our partner and ally France that its troops killed Adnan Abu Walid Al-Sahrawi. We commend France's continued commitment to countering terrorism and protecting civilians in West Africa in coordination with our African partners.
As the leader of ISIS in the Greater Sahara, Walid Al-Sahrawi bears responsibility for the violence that has taken the lives of countless civilians and military personnel in the Sahel, including the October 4, 2017 attack on a joint U.S.-Nigerien patrol in the region of Tongo Tongo, Niger that resulted in the deaths of four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien soldiers.
The United States is committed to continuing to support the efforts of our African partners, France, and the international community to improve the safety and well-being of civilians in West Africa.
