The leader of the Al-Qaeda branch (a terrorist group banned in the Russian Federation) in the Arabian Peninsula, Khalid Batarfi, was taken alive as a result of an operation in the city of Al-Gaida in Al-Mahra province in October last year. This is reported in the UN report on countering terrorism.
It is reported that a military operation led to the arrest of Batarfi – details about it were not reported. Deputy leader Saad Atef al-Awlaki was killed in the same operation. This is the first time that a major al-Qaeda leader – the “emir” of one of its branches – has been captured.
Batarfi led the group's squad in early 2020, after his predecessor was killed by a US airstrike. He emphasized that “the death of a leader in battle is an indicator of his dignity and a sign of honor.” The US offered a reward of $ 10 million for information about him. As observers note, his capture should be a big blow to the pride of the terrorists.
In November 2020, al-Qaeda recognized the elimination of the leader in North Africa, Abdelmalek Drukdal, and appointed a new leader in the region. This was the Algerian Mujahid Yazid Mubarak, known as Abu Ubaydah Yusuf al-Anabi. He was included in the UN sanctions list against Al-Qaeda.
