From staff reports
Officials said indicated an airstrike launched Saturday by the U.S. in eastern Libya killed the Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the terrorist leader behind a 2013 attack on a gas plant in Algeria that claimed the lives of at least 38 hostages, including Nederland resident Victor Lovelady.
The 57-year-old engineer was among the three Americans killed during a four-day siege at a natural gas plant.
According to the Associated Press, the strikes, which are being described as successful, not only killed Belmokhtar, but several others in Ajdabiya.
Belmokhtar, known as “the one-eyed sheik” because he lost his left eye in combat, was charged by U.S. federal law enforcement officials with terrorism after the 2013 attack.
Lovelady is survived by his wife, and two children. His brother, Mike Lovelady, is a former Nederland fire chief.