French army kills al-Qaeda North Africa chief Droukdel -defence minister

French forces have killed al Qaeda's North Africa chief Abdelmalek Droukdel in northern Mali, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly said on Friday.

"On June 3, French army forces with the support of their local partners killed al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's emir, Abdelmalek Droukdel, and several of his closest collaborators, during an operation in northern Mali," Parly said in Twitter.