Members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) Algiers – Hocine Bousalah Prominent Islamic Maghreb Al-Qaeda leader Mokhtar Belmokhtar has officially left Abdel Malek Droukdel’s organisation to join the Tawheed and Jihad movement in Ghao city, according to Timbuktu’s sources. The move follows conflict between Belmokhtar, also known as Khaled Abu al-Abbas (al-Aawar), and Bou Zaid, who accused Belmokhtar and his movement of being disbelievers, sources told Algerian newspaper Ennahar.
The increase splits Al-Qaeda leaders in the Emirate of desert from the organisation in the north after Algerian security forces tightened the noose eliminated a number of Droudkel's confidants, including his right hand man Boualem Bekay (also known as Khaled Almiq).
Belmokhtar objected to the appointing of Yahya Abu al-Hammam as a successor to late emir of the Emirate of the desert Nabil Makhloufi (Abu Alqama) who died in a car crash.
It's believed Belmokhtar left Al-Qaeda after he was overlooked for the position. Droudkel excluded him from the organisation’s meetings and gave instructions to prevent Belmokhtar’s participating in the decision to choose the new Emir.
Droudkel dismissed Belmokhtar from the leadership of the masked brigade after he opposed the decisions of the other leaders, according to sources.
The splits come at a critical time when the region is awaiting military intervention to end the crisis in North Mali.
In other Al-Qaeda news the Algerian army shot and killed two armed men who belong to the terrorist group in north Algeria on the road connecting Ain Hamam and Ayat Yahya in  Tizi Ouzou (140km north Algiers).
Local security sources said the the armed men were in a car when the operation took place Tuesday evening.