"He was the absolute leader of the ISGS and took all the decisions. [...] The death of Abu Walid al-Sahrawi is a decisive blow to the IS group's leadership in the Sahel," says French Defence Minister Florence Parly after announcing the death of the head of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara following a strike by France's Barkhane force. The group is blamed for most of the jihadist attacks in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, and "is responsible for the deaths of between 2,000 and 3,000 civilians since 2013." COMPLETES VIDI9MX9LN_EN IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES