Friday, June 27, 2008

Al Qaeda in Iraq's Top Leader In Mosul Killed By U.S. Troops


Hooray for the troops in Iraq! This is a big fish they took down, for sure. Here's the full story out of the International Herald Tribune:


US says "emir" of al-Qaida in northern city of Mosul killed in raid

BAGHDAD: Al-Qaida's top leader in Mosul was killed during a raid this week in that northern city, the U.S. military said Thursday.
The "emir" of the terror movement in Mosul, known by his nickname Abu Khalaf, was killed along with two other extremists in a gunbattle Tuesday, the U.S. said.
One of those killed was a woman who was shot as she tried to detonate the explosive belt of one of her dead comrades, the statement said.
Associates identified one of the dead as Abu Khalaf, the statement added. It said the third extremist was a Syrian known by his nickname Abu Khalud.
According to the U.S., Abu Khalaf had been a deputy of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of al-Qaida in Iraq who was killed by a U.S. airstrike in Diyala province in June 2006.
U.S. officials say Mosul is the last major Iraqi city where al-Qaida has a significant presence.

So there you have it, yet ANOTHER key top leader of al Qaeda in Iraq busy trying to find the 72 virgins and I gotta believe this guy left behind a treasure trove of intel on his computer and in his belongings. Won't that come in handy?!!

As you noticed in the article, a woman was killed trying to detonate a suicide belt and this just goes to show that al Qaeda in Iraq continues to successfully recruit these Iraqi women. Most reports are that these are often Sunni women who have lost their husbands or male relatives in the insurgency and apparently feel they can attain some revenge this way.

Osama bin Laden must be so proud to see that his mighty al Qaeda has been reduced to an army of widows. /sarc off

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