Chad: Troops kill terror leader Belmoktar

N'DJAMENA, Chad -- Chad's military chief announced Saturday that his troops in northern Mali had killed Moktar Belmoktar, the terrorist who orchestrated the attack on a natural gas plant in Algeria that left 36 foreigners dead.

The French military, which is leading the offensive against al-Qaida-linked rebels in Mali, said they could not immediately confirm the information.

Officials in Kidal, the northern town being used as the base for the military operation, cast doubt on the assertion, saying Chadian officials are trying to score a PR victory to make up for the significant losses they have suffered recently.

Belmoktar's purported death comes a day after Chad's president said his troops had killed Abou Zeid, the other main al-Qaida commander operating in northern Mali. -- AP