French intelligence services helped the US track down and kill the leader of Somalia’s al-Shebab Islamist armed group two week ago, sources close to President François Hollande said on Saturday, reports RFI.
France provided intelligence and helped coordinate the air strike that killed Ahmed Abdi Godane, also known as Abu Zubeyr, on 1 September, an anonymous source told the AFP news agency, confirming a report in Le Point magazine.
France reportedly helped gather information but did not take part in the Hellfire and laser-guided missile strike on a meeting of al-Shebab leaders in south Mogadishu.
French intelligence gave the Pentagon the precise identity of his vehicle and the route he was to follow “on the explicit orders of the president”, according to Le Point.
Read more of this report from RFI.