He returned to Algeria as a hardened fighter with a new nickname "Belaouar" -- the "one-eyed" -- after his battlefield injury, and joined forces with the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) in its brutal campaign against the Algerian regime and civilians deemed to be its supporters.

CNN: U.S. not yet ready to say jihadist leader killed in Mali

He returned to Algeria as a hardened fighter with a new nickname "Belaouar" -- the "one-eyed" -- after a battlefield injury, and joined forces with the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) in its brutal campaign against the Algerian regime and civilians deemed to be its supporters.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS