On February 22, 2013, the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) caught and intercepted some jihadist telephone calls that hinted that one of the French hostages captured by AQIM managed to escape his captors in the Timetrine, a desert and mountainous region, located west of the valley of Tilemsi which separates it of the Adrar of the Ifoghas.

Around 5 a.m, the Islamists abandoned their camp, but they continued to be monitored by a drone, but video transmission was temporarily interrupted because of a power failure in Niamey.

At dawn, the French forces deployed two Puma helicopters which deposited about thirty soldiers of the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment.

But AQIM fighters covered in blankets spotted the French and opened fire on them, without inflicting any damage due to poor sight caused by darkness.

On June 16, 2013, AQIM officially confirmed the death of Mohamed Lemine Ould El-Hassen at the same time as that of Abdelhamid Abou Zeid.