ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — An Algerian newspaper says the right-hand man to the head of Al Qaeda’s North African branch was one of seven insurgents killed by the army last week.

El Watan reported Saturday that the New Year’s Day operation killed Izza Rezki, the finance chief for Abdelmalek Droukdel, the head of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The paper cited anonymous security sources.