Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqmi) has appointed one of its members to head the terrorist group to replace Abdelmalek Droukdel, killed last June during a French military operation in northern Mali.

The new leader from Algeria is an influential member of Aqmi, named Abu Obaida Yusuf al-Annabi.

He is accused of having participated, in 2007 attacks against official buildings, including police stations in Algiers. Abu Obaida is said to have a degree in Economics.

He has regularly appeared in the group’s propaganda videos, and in 2013 demanded that Muslims retaliate against France’s intervention in Mali.

France has more than 5,000 troop s deployed in its “anti-jihadist” Barkhane force in the Sahel.

Abu Obaida was blacklisted by the United States as a terrorist and sentenced to death in absentia by his country's justice system.