Libya's recognised government says Algerian Islamist militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar has been killed in a US air strike within Libya.

The US says it conducted strikes against an al-Qaeda associated target in Libya but is assessing the results.

Belmokhtar rejected a pledge of allegiance to Islamic State by the co-founder of his al-Mourabitoun Islamist group.

He's fallen out with the leadership of al-Qaeda's North Africa wing, but has repeatedly pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda's overall leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

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