US offers cash rewards for capture of African Islamic militants

The United States is offering cash rewards for information on Islamic militants in Africa.

The bounty is part of the State Department's Rewards for Justice program that pays out millions for information that leads to the capture of terrorists.

"For the first time, the US Department of State's Rewards for Justice program is offering rewards for information on key leaders of terrorist organizations in West Africa," the program said in a statement, according to Reuters.

The Rewards for Justice program has already been used for leaders of Al Qaeda and militant organizations like Hezbollah.

The largest reward for a West or North African militant, $7 million, is offered for Abubakar Shekau, leader of Nigeria's Boko Haram, a militant group that targets Christians.

There is mounting concern that Boko Haram is linking with other Islamic terrorist groups in the region said the BBC.

Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the mastermind behind the Algeria gas plant attack, has $5 million on his head for information leading to his capture.

The attack on the gas plant left 37 hostages dead, including three US citizens.

Five million dollar rewards are offered for some of the leaders of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao).

Algerian militant and senior commander of AQIM, Yahya Abu Al Hammam, is wanted for attacks and kidnappings across the region.

Three million is being offered for both Malik Abou Abdelkarim of AQIM and Mujao spokesman Oumar Ould Hamaha.

Oumar Ould Hamaha is accused of kidnapping a Canadian diplomat in Niger in 2008.