A purported militant source in Libya has denied US claims that its military airstrikes have killed a major al-Qaeda-linked Algerian terrorist, Mokhtar Belmokhtar, claiming that he was not at the site targeted by in the American strikes.

Citing a militant “with links to extremists in Libya,” the Associated Press reported on Monday that American air raids killed four members of the al-Qaeda-linked Ansar Shariah group in Ajdabiya, nearly 850 kilometers east the Libyan capital of Tripoli, but not Belmokhtar.

The report did not identify the militant by name and did not reveal his affiliation, saying he spoke on condition of anonymity “for fear of reprisals” in the war-ravaged North African country.

The militant’s claims in the report cannot be independently verified.

Libya’s internationally-recognized government had announced on Sunday that warplanes targeted and killed Belmokhtar, who allegedly led a major attack on an Algerian gas plant in 2013, killing at least 35 hostages, including three Americans.

The US Defense Department later confirmed the airstrike, claiming that the attack was carried out by American military forces and targeted an “al-Qaeda-associated terrorist.”

“We are assessing the results of the operation and will provide additional information as and when appropriate,” said Pentagon Spokesman Colonel Steve Warren, who added that the airstrike was conducted Saturday night and that it killed several others as well.

Last year, Washington officially charged Belmokhtar with masterminding the Algeria raid and filed terrorism charges against the alleged al-Qaeda commander.