La Nation pense ce soir à tous ses héros morts pour la France au Sahel dans les opérations Serval et Barkhane, aux familles endeuillées, à tous ses blessés. Leur sacrifice n’est pas vain. Avec nos partenaires africains, européens et américains, nous poursuivrons ce combat.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 15, 2021

"The Nation is thinking this evening of all its heroes who died for France in the Sahel in the Serval and Barkhane operations, of the bereaved families, of all of its wounded," the French President wrote on Twitter. "Their sacrifice is not in vain. With our African, European and American partners, we will continue this fight."

File photo: Macron interacting with French troops in Castelnaudary in southern France clicked in March this year. Image credit: Facebook/Emmanuel Macron

Emmanuel Macron did not disclose the location where the operation was carried out or any other details about the French military's strike.

Adnan Abou Walid al-Sahraoui had formed the IS-GS in 2015, and the group was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US Department of State in 2018, a year after Sahraoui had claimed responsibility for the ambush of United States forces in Niger in 2017 that killed four American soldiers.

The IS-GS leader was also responsible for a series of 'cowardly and particularly deadly' attacks targeting civilians and security forces in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, and in August, 2020, al Sahraoui 'personally ordered' the killings of six French humanitarian workers and their driver and guide, CNN reported quoting a French official statement.

Later in 2019, the United States had announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of al Sahraoui.