The Libyan Islamist militant group implicated by the United States in the 2012 killing of a U.S. ambassador has confirmed the death of its leader.
The announcement by Ansar al-Sharia on Saturday comes months after reports surfaced that Mohamed al-Zahawi was killed in fighting in eastern Libya. The time and circumstances regarding his death remain unclear.
Members of al-Zahawi's family and a Libyan official told Reuters he died from battle wounds.
Washington believes Ansar al-Sharia was behind the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
Ansar al-Sharia is one of several factions fighting the Libyan military for wealth and control in Libya after the 2011 ouster of long-time leader Moammar Gadhafi.