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The Americans managed to locate Abdelmalek Droukdel and share the intelligence with the French, says a diplomat of the liquidation of AQIM's leader on June 3, north of Mali. This didn't go precisely as the Minister of Defense later told it to the press.
"Droukdel was located while making a phone call; the Americans recognised his voice," said that source. "It was they who shared with us the electronic intelligence," which led to the launch of the operation.
Other information obtained from the diplomat: "the first strikes at Droukdel's convoy were delivered by an American drone, which provided electronic lighting over the target. The French arrived aboard several helicopters which fired 20mm cannons.
"The strikes of the helicopters neutralised the convoy, then the two commandos out of ten men belonging to the 1st Marine Infantry Paratroopers Regiment landed on the site, but Droukdel and his men had already been reached."
"Members of the commando recovered body parts so that the DNA of the terrorists could be verified in a special unit in Paris. The Algerian services had already provided DNA of the Droukdel family; we managed to verify that the DNA matched."
"The commando picked up computers and license plates of the cars used by the jihadists in order to compare them with other clues which had been previously collected. On ground, the French, assisted by one man from another French intelligence agency, had cameras."
The assault was monitored live at the Centre of Planning and Coordinating Operations in Paris. Thanks to their drone, at the Pentagone, with the French liaison officer present, the Americans watched live footage of the French attack.
"As it was last year with the neutralisation of those who kidnapped French hostages in Benin, the detection was American. We owe them a lot," concluded the French diplomat.
