Tunisian security forces eliminate “Algerian” ringleader who masterminded Bardo museum attack

Tunisian security forces have killed senior “Algerian” terrorist chieftain Khaled Chaib, also known as “Lokman Abou Sakhr”, who authorities accuse of helping orchestrate this month’s Bardo Museu

m deadly terrorist attack in Tunis.

The attack on the Bardo national museum in Tunis killed 22 foreign tourists and a policeman, jolting a country praised as a peaceful democratic model since leading the first Arab Spring uprising in 2011.

The announcement of the security forces raid was made just ahead of Sunday’s large anti-terrorism march in Tunis which brought together foreign several heads of state and government along with thousands of people.

Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said the terrorist ringleader was killed late on Saturday, along with eight other extremists from the so-called “Okba Ibn Nafaa” terror group, in Tunisia’s centre-west region of Gafsa.

Mr Essid said: “We have stamped out this brigade which was involved in the terrorist attacks that Tunisia has recently witnessed.”

The extremist group calling itself “Islamic State” claimed responsibility for the museum attack but Tunis has pointed the finger at “Okba Ibn Nafaa” terrorist brigade, which operates along the mountain border with Algeria.

It was previously more allied to “al Qaeda” terror organization but has made vague statements on its position toward ISIL, which now controls large swathes of Iraq and Syria.

The two Bardo Museum gunmen were trained over the border in Libya at camps operated by Tunisian extremists, officials say. Both were killed by the Tunisian security forces on the day of the massacre.

Tunisia’s government says the recent terrorist attack on the Bardo museum was aimed at destroying the country’s vital tourism industry.