Tunisian Forces Kill Senior al-Qaida Member

Tunisian special forces have killed a senior member of al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in a remote western area of the country, near the border with Algeria.

Tunisian officials have identified the militant as Bilel Kobi, a senior aide to Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, the leader of the militant group.

Another jihadist was also killed in the operation as a special unit of the National Guard and soldiers circled an armed group of militants in the western region of Kasserine overnight Saturday, the Ministry of the Interior said.

Islamic State claims most major attacks in Tunisia including a hotel attack and an attack on a museum that killed dozens of tourists in 2015 as well as raids by militants who crossed from Libya into Tunisia in 2016.

More than 3,000 Tunisians have left over the last few years to fight for Islamic State and other militant groups in Iraq, Syria and Libya. Authorities are trying to prepare for the threat posed by their return.