State TV in Mali has reported that a senior Islamic State commander who had a $5m US bounty on his head has been killed by a force of troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Abu Huzeifa had been linked to several high-profile raids in the Sahel region, including a 2017 attack that killed four American soldiers and several troops from Niger.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have all suffered from relentless attacks from the jihadist fighters. All three countries are under military rule and have been creating close ties with Russia, and cutting ties with Western allies. It was reported that Abu Huzeifa was killed on Sunday in an operation in Indelimane in the Menaka region.

Read More: Mali kills IS commander blamed for US deaths