New Emir for South 'Emirate of the Desert'

According to confirmed sources, the Al-Qaeda “Emirate of the Desert” in Islamic Maghreb has been chosen. Emir of El Forkane Brigade Gamal Okasha - known as Yahya Abu al-Hemam – will be the successor of Nabil Abou Alqama and will lead the south area. The 34 year old new leader, whose origin is Reghaia, is one of the most distinguished leaders of Al-Qaeda in Ozoad. He joined the armed forces of the Salafist movement and was quickly promoted to higher ranks within the organisation to become one of its leaders, despite his age. In the last years, he led several military operations, mostly against Mauritania. Among those operations, he participated to the attack on the Mauritanian military base in Paskino which was one of the biggest operations organised in the region. Abu al-Hemam was accused by the French government of killing a French citizen Michel Germaneau who was kidnapped and killed by Al-Qaeda.