Al-Qaida Leaders Killed in Iraq

[astralis]

excellent news. i'm surprised they managed to get the two big fish holing up together.

Al-Qaida Leaders Killed in Iraq | Middle East | English

Al-Qaida Leaders Killed in Iraq
Joint US-Iraqi operation kills Abu Ayyub al-Masri and second top al-Qaida militant

VOA News 19 April 2010

U.S. and Iraqi officials say the two most senior al-Qaida leaders in Iraq have been killed in a joint operation near the northern city of Tikrit.

Officials say Iraqi security forces backed by the U.S. killed al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri and top al-Qaida militant Abu Omar al-Baghdadi Sunday during a raid on their hideout.

In a statement Monday, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno, says the deaths of the two militants is "potentially the most significant blow to al-Qaida in Iraq since the beginning of the insurgency." General Odierno says it is a "significant step" in "ridding" the country of "terrorists."

The U.S. military says a Masri assistant and a son of Baghdadi also were killed in the raid and 16 suspected "criminal associates" were arrested.

At a news conference on Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki showed pictures of two bodies that he identified as those of the al-Qaida operatives.

Officials say the Egyptian-born Masri is also known as Abu Hamzah al-Muhajir. The U.S. military says he is directly responsible for high profile bombings and attacks against the Iraqi people.

Meanwhile, the U.S. says Baghdadi is also known as Hamid Dawud Muhammad Khalil al Zawi. Officials say he supported Al-Qaida in Iraq as the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq militant group.

[aktarian]

In a statement Monday, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, General Raymond Odierno, says the deaths of the two militants is "potentially the most significant blow to al-Qaida in Iraq since the beginning of the insurgency." General Odierno says it is a "significant step" in "ridding" the country of "terrorists."

To paraphrase Rumsfeld, combined with death of al-Zarqawi Al Qaida in Iraq is on it's hind legs

[HKDan]

I find the mention of Bin Laden correspondence to be really interesting.

Allies Kill Two Chiefs of Iraqi al Qaeda - WSJ.com
By YOCHI J. DREAZEN

Iraqi security forces killed the top two leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq, the militant group responsible for a string of bloody recent bombings there, U.S. and Iraqi officials said, dealing a setback to an organization that once brought the country to the brink of civil war.

The deaths of the Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the al Qaeda affiliate's operational head inside Iraq, and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the group's spiritual leader there, could make it easier for tens of thousands of U.S. forces to withdraw from Iraq in coming months without endangering the country's security, according to American military officials.

The top two al Qaeda figures in Iraq were killed north of Baghdad Sunday, dealing the organization a devastating blow. Video courtesy of Fox News.

Gen. Raymond Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said the deaths of the two militants were "potentially the most significant blow to al Qaeda in Iraq since the beginning of the insurgency."

The killing of the two militant leaders was also likely to provide a political boost to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is fighting to form a new coalition government after his political alliance finished second in last month's parliamentary elections.

Mr. Maliki has watched his political fortunes sag from a spate of bombings that his aides have blamed on Mr. Masri's group. The deaths could burnish the Iraqi premier's security credentials and make it easier for him to win enough support from other parties to assemble a majority in parliament.

Complicating matters Monday was an Iraqi decision to recount Baghdad's 2.4 million votes—possibly prolonging the destabilizing period of post-election political horse-trading.

Mr. Maliki told reporters at a Baghdad news conference Monday that Iraqi forces tracked the two men to a house near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit and then, early Sunday morning, fired rockets at the building, killing both militants, an assistant to Mr. Masri and one of Mr. Baghdadi's sons.

In 2006, military spokesman William Caldwell, then a major general, showed a picture of then-new leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri. Mr. Masri was killed in a raid Sunday.

Mr. Maliki said the U.S. provided some of the intelligence that led to the Iraqi-led raid, which began Saturday night and concluded early Sunday. One American soldier died when the helicopter he was in crashed during the assault.

The Iraqi premier showed photographs of what he said were the corpses of two men. He said Iraqi personnel recovered computers from the house which contained email correspondence with Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda's fugitive leader.

The leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq pledged formal fealty to Mr. bin Laden in 2004, but the two groups are believed to have maintained only a loose affiliation. Unlike al Qaeda, which has carried out numerous attacks inside the U.S. and several European countries, the Iraqi group has confined itself to attacking Western and Iraqi targets inside Iraq.

The deaths are unlikely to incapacitate al Qaeda in Iraq or prevent new attacks. In June 2006, elite American special operations forces hunted down Mr. Masri's predecessor as head of the group, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

U.S. commanders said at the time they believed Mr. Zarqawi's death would hobble the group and lead to fewer attacks. Violence decreased for a few days, but the extremist group rebounded quickly, naming Mr. Masri as Mr. Zarqawi's successor within days. By September 2006, monthly U.S. battlefield deaths were running higher than they had before Mr. Zarqawi's killing.

A record 961 American troops died in Iraq in 2007, at a time when al Qaeda in Iraq was responsible for more troop deaths than any other group. Tens of thousands of civilians died as Shiite and Sunni militias carried out bloody reprisal raids throughout the country.

Still, some American military officials are optimistic that Mr. Masri's death may be a turning point in the struggle against al Qaeda in Iraq.

At the height of its powers in 2006 and 2007, the group commanded an estimated 10,000 fighters and had strongholds in the provinces of Anbar, Diyala and Ninevah, as well as in Sunni-controlled neighborhoods in and around Baghdad.

The group had a network of factories for making suicide vests and car bombs and was able to mount large-scale attacks across the country almost at will.

Today, the group is a shadow of its former self, and the deaths of senior figures are likely to have a more significant effect.

In a series of coordinated raids in recent years, U.S. and Iraqi forces severed the "rat lines" that al Qaeda in Iraq used to move car bombs and other munitions into Baghdad.

Sunni tribal militias, backed by the U.S., also pushed the group out of Anbar and many of its other former strongholds.

A defense official said Monday that al Qaeda in Iraq's "geographic area of influence within Iraq has certainly diminished since 2006," noting that its main base of operations was now limited to Ninevah province in Iraq's volatile north.

American military officials estimate the group today has just a few thousand fighters.

A U.S. military official at Central Command, which oversees the war in Iraq, said the group appeared to have lost the ability to use new attacks to dictate events on the ground there.

"The biggest difference is that AQI is no longer able to ignite the spiral of sectarian violence the way they could in the recent past," the official said.

Despite its waning fortunes,al Qaeda in Iraq remains dangerous. Iraqi and U.S. security officials say the group was responsible for a spate of devastating car and suicide bombings on Iraqi government and civilian targets that left hundreds dead and raised questions about whether Iraq's security gains would survive the planned departure of 45,000 U.S. troops this summer.

Vice President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters in Washington, said the raid which killed the two militants originated with intelligence that Iraqi security forces obtained from a senior al Qaeda in Iraq leader who had been captured last month.

Iraqi forces, assisted by embedded U.S. military advisers, used the information to track the two fighters to a house in Thar Thar, near Tikrit. The U.S. military said the militants were killed early Sunday morning "after engaging" the troops.

U.S. military officials declined to say whether special operations forces akin to those which had hunted Mr. Zarqawi took part in the assault. They also refused to say precisely what type of intelligence had been given to the Iraqis before the raid.

Iraqis met the news of the two men's deaths with skepticism. The Iraqi government has claimed numerous times to have killed Messrs. Masri and Baghdadi, the last time as recently as last year, only to have to retract their statements later. However, this was the first time U.S. officials have joined in reporting the two men's deaths.

Iraqi officials told Iraqi media that the U.S. military was conducting DNA tests on the bodies. It was unclear whether those tests had been completed before Mr. Maliki's announcement.
—Margaret Coker contributed to this article.

[S2]

AQI Dead

Excellent and, potentially, important news. Given the past resurrections of these men we'll need to await some real confirmation. Still, it would appear they likely got their men. Too bad (again) there's no capture. The treasure trove of intel under the gentile ministrations of Iraqi counter-intelligence might have been a great yield.

[HKDan]

Looks like they got another one. Some heavy blows have been landed over the past few days. Keep 'em coming.

BBC News - Third Iraqi al-Qaeda leader killed: Iraqi military

BBC NEWS
Third Iraq al-Qaeda leader killed

US and Iraqi forces have killed another al-Qaeda in Iraq leader in the north of the country, army officials say.

The man identified as Ahmed al-Obeidi was killed in the northern province of Nineveh, Iraqi military spokesman Maj Gen Qassim al-Moussawi said.

The news comes the day after the government announced two leading insurgents had been killed.

Iraqi al-Qaeda leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, who led an affiliated group, died on Sunday.

Gen Moussawi said Mr Obeidi, also known by the name Abu Suhaib, was in charge of al-Qaeda in Iraq's operations in the northern provinces of Kirkuk, Salahuddin and Nineveh.

Gen Ray Odierno, commander of US forces in Iraq, said the man was "the military emir" of the region.

"He was the guy in charge of operations from Tikrit all the way up to Mosul out to the Syrian border," he told AFP news agency.

The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says the Iraqi government is now convinced they have al-Qaeda on the run, but says that in the past when leaders are killed others have just stepped in to fill their posts.

The loose, cell-like structure of the organisation means that its decapitation does not necessarily lead to paralysis, our correspondent adds.

Election appeal

Al-Qaeda in Iraq has been blamed for some of the bloodiest insurgent attacks in the country since the US-led invasion of 2003.

But since early 2007 the US has adopted a more proactive policy in confronting insurgents in Iraq and undermining their support within the Sunni community.

The sectarian strife on which the Sunni insurgents thrived also died away as coalition and Iraqi government forces moved to curb Shia militias, analysts say.

The US is hoping to begin a withdrawal of its forces in August this year.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is currently contesting the results of the 7 March election, which was narrowly won by former PM Iyad Allawi.

Election officials have ordered a manual recount of votes cast in Baghdad after complaints from Mr Maliki that the electronic system of counting was unreliable.

The recount could alter the final result of the poll.
Story from BBC NEWS:

[Kermanshahi]

I'm not cheering to soon, these men have both been killed and arrested dozens of times (if you believe the media), everyone of those reports later proved to be wrong. Let's first wait for al-Qaeda confirmation.

[S2]

Kermanshahi Reply

"...everyone of those reports later proved to be wrong. Let's first wait for al-Qaeda confirmation."

Odierno feels confident. America hasn't heretofore joined in with the Iraqi announcements regarding these men. Same in Pakistan.

[Kermanshahi]

"...everyone of those reports later proved to be wrong. Let's first wait for al-Qaeda confirmation."

Odierno feels confident. America hasn't heretofore joined in with the Iraqi announcements regarding these men. Same in Pakistan.

I didn't know about that last but what I do know is that these groups never lie about the deaths of their leaders, numerous insurgent leaders have been killed, they always admitted it if it was true and when they denied it, they always were right. I think both men in question deserved to be killed (not for killing American soliders, they were in their full right to resist occupation by imperialist agressors, but for the hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi Shi'as these Wahabis killed and are still killing), but I'm not sure yet until it's confirmed by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Qaeda in Iraq.

But it's not like it's going to make such a big difference, there are many insurgent leaders (like Abu Abdullah al-Hassan, Ismail Jubouri, Izzat Ibrahim ad-Douri, Akram al-Kabi and Abu Omar al-Ansari) still on the run, there are many who have already been killed (Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Abu Bakr al-Jubouri, Abu Khalaf, Abu Yasir al-Saudi, Abu Kamar and Ahmed al-Yemeni) and many caputred (like Saddam, Qais al-Khazali (who was released BTW), Abu Omar al-Kurdi, Khaled al-Mashhadani, etc.) in the end they will appoint new leaders anyway, it won't hurt their groups.

[Dreadnought]

I didn't know about that last but what I do know is that these groups never lie about the deaths of their leaders, numerous insurgent leaders have been killed, they always admitted it if it was true and when they denied it, they always were right. I think both men in question deserved to be killed (not for killing American soliders, they were in their full right to resist occupation by imperialist agressors, but for the hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi Shi'as these Wahabis killed and are still killing), but I'm not sure yet until it's confirmed by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Apparently to you their "full right" superseeds the Iraqi governments agreement with the US and NATO. Nothing new from you and your perspective.

Imperialist aggessors? Whatever. How many "Imperialist Aggressors" do you know that offer roads,bridges,hospitals,schools,water treatment plants and train their own government forces?

The US and NATO would not even be there right now if it wasnt for the Iraqi government asking then to stay until they are ready.

Any one to you that foils Irans infiltration of their governemnt by theocratic morons and hunts down the extrememists they supply and train is an Imperialist Agressor.

[S2]

Kermanshahi Reply

"...not for killing American soliders, they were in their full right to resist occupation by imperialist agressors..."

I'd feel the same about one of those so-called "imperialist aggressors" doing likewise with you. It's a case of knowing your enemies when you see them and you certainly are my nation's enemy. Had we any intent of planting our flag there permanently I might excuse your abusive insolence. That we haven't nor will condemns you to deserving a painful death by America's hand...I pray.

Good riddance too. Those so-called "imperialist aggressors" haven't stolen a barrel of oil while removing the Saddamist baath plague that assaulted your people and restored a semblance of democratic freedom that you'll never experience on Iran's side of the border. Likely Iraqis won't have a clue knowing how to use it wisely. That's their problem.

You really are a miserable piece of work.

[S2]

Dreadnought Reply

"Imperialist aggessors? Whatever."

Hardly "whatever". Let's personalize this a bit, shall we. This fcuk might as well be digging a hole in a road and implanting an Iranian-made EFP (enhanced forged projectile) to take the life of Shek, bluesman's son or any of the other fine men and women whom we've known here and elsewhere.

My former guard brigade just returned from Iraq the other day...with wounded from my own old battalion. I don't know that Kermanshahi wasn't responsible but I DO KNOW he wouldn't mind being.

He is an enemy of my nation-plain and simple. He would do everything he can from his side of the border to encourage and assist the killing of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen. That comment makes plain his view.

If I thought he offered any semblance of intelligence value I'd control my disdain. He doesn't. He offers unvarnished HATE. Should we make very-fcuking-deserving war on that mis-begotten travesty against humanity may the first bomb find him.

[Dreadnought]

"Imperialist aggessors? Whatever."

Hardly "whatever". Let's personalize this a bit, shall we. This fcuk might as well be digging a hole in a road and implanting an Iranian-made EFP (enhanced forged projectile) to take the life of Shek, bluesman's son or any of the other fine men and women whom we've known here and elsewhere.

My former guard brigade just returned from Iraq the other day...with wounded from my own old battalion. I don't know that Kermanshahi wasn't responsible but I DO KNOW he wouldn't mind being.

He is an enemy of my nation-plain and simple. He would do everything he can from his side of the border to encourage and assist the killing of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen. That comment makes plain his view.

If I thought he offered any semblance of intelligence value I'd control my disdain. He doesn't. He offers unvarnished HATE. Should we make very-fcuking-deserving war on that mis-begotten travesty against humanity may the first bomb find him.

*I am in full agreement S-2. It just goes to show the date dont fall very far from the lunicy tree. Then you have members such as Arajet and 1980 that know what that their government's direction is skewed by lunicy and seriously misguided clerics that taint the religion of Islam with their own interpitations of it. These members are the people we would freely welcome to the US and a better chance at a more peacefull enjoyable life such as many other Iranians already enjoy here and have for decades. Or form a much more civilized government and make a better future for the Iranian people.

I'd love nothing better to see that regime and its clerics pounded into submission which we all know could easily happen if we abided by the very same rules their government does. Alas, we dont. I hope we all live long enough to see that regime shattered beyond recognition and peace be restored to that region for once. A moment in time we all look forward too.

If I thought he offered any semblance of intelligence value I'd control my disdain. He doesn't. He offers unvarnished HATE. Should we make very-fcuking-deserving war on that mis-begotten travesty against humanity may the first bomb find him.

*Again S-2 I am in full agreement, Hopefully though he will be in high school where he belongs that day and safe from US bombing raids.:))

I still dont believe that Z actually vauged for this clown and his antics.

I dont blame Z though, hindsight being 20/20 and all.

[Kermanshahi]

I'd feel the same about one of those so-called "imperialist aggressors" doing likewise with you. It's a case of knowing your enemies when you see them and you certainly are my nation's enemy. Had we any intent of planting our flag there permanently I might excuse your abusive insolence. That we haven't nor will condemns you to deserving a painful death by America's hand...I pray.

Good riddance too. Those so-called "imperialist aggressors" haven't stolen a barrel of oil while removing the Saddamist baath plague that assaulted your people and restored a semblance of democratic freedom that you'll never experience on Iran's side of the border. Likely Iraqis won't have a clue knowing how to use it wisely. That's their problem.

You really are a miserable piece of work.

You invaded and occupied their country, they are now in full right o fight for their country and attack these occupiers until they leave. Now you can wish death on me becuase I oppose your occupation which destroyed Iraq and killed a milion Iraqis but at the end of the day I'm not occupying anyone's country and killing their people and I'm not the one responsible for the death of a milion innocent people.

And trust me, no-one wants the "freedom" the Iraqis have, you deserve to live through that hell your nation's imperialist leaders and their racist backers (which are not the majority of the American people) have brought upon the Iraqi and Afghan people.

Hardly "whatever". Let's personalize this a bit, shall we. This fcuk might as well be digging a hole in a road and implanting an Iranian-made EFP (enhanced forged projectile) to take the life of Shek, bluesman's son or any of the other fine men and women whom we've known here and elsewhere.

Were they forced to go to Iraq? No they chose to go there themselfes and kill Iraqis.

My former guard brigade just returned from Iraq the other day...with wounded from my own old battalion. I don't know that Kermanshahi wasn't responsible but I DO KNOW he wouldn't mind being.

If they attack my country, I will be there to fight and kill American "fine service men," but until then that will be up to the citizens of the countries their forces are occupying.

He is an enemy of my nation-plain and simple. He would do everything he can from his side of the border to encourage and assist the killing of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen. That comment makes plain his view.

My side of the border? I'm not even in Iran.

But eitherway there is nothing wrong with supporting a legitimate struggle for the liberation of an occupied people, there is however something wrong with supporting the occupation of another country and massacre on their people.

If I thought he offered any semblance of intelligence value I'd control my disdain. He doesn't. He offers unvarnished HATE. Should we make very-fcuking-deserving war on that mis-begotten travesty against humanity may the first bomb find him.

And you support the occupation of Iraq, the destruction of their nation and the genocide on their people aswell as repeating this onto my people. If you were a good person you would oppose this illegal war by your imperialist leaders, but clearly you are not.

[pChan]

What's good for the goose is good for the gander

For somebody who likes to talk a lot about "Imperialist America" it's kind of ironical, & unsurprising , that you yourself would like an imperialist Iran lording over Iraq. Embedded within the following comment, that you made, is the idea that if Iraq decides not to play the Iranian lackey, then Iran should help "a coup" to set things right in Iraq. Iraqi elections are just a minor inconvenience.

What could happen however, is an Iranian backed coup. It depends who wins the elections, the Shi'a UIA has now split up, the UIA (SIIC and Sadrists) are still strong allies of Iran, if they win, they are likely to completely side with Iran after America leaves. The Dawa party has been an ally of the Iranian regime even before they (the Iranian regime) came to power, however under Maliki they have been taking a more and more nationalist path (instead of Shi'a Islamist) and Iran has never got along well with Arab nationalists (like Saddam). Dawa has recently been p*ssing off Iran, the other Shi'a parties and the Kurds, today they are still on friendly enough terms with Iran, but if they continue on this path a coup cannot be left out. The Shi'a parties in the UIA (in particular SIIC/Badr) control the security forces so...
And if such coup does take place, it's possible they would call in Iranian help and Iranian forces enter Iraq to help them fight political opponents (such as Sunni insurgents).

You are a hypocrite.

[Kermanshahi]

For somebody who likes to talk a lot about "Imperialist America" it's kind of ironical, & unsurprising , that you yourself would like an imperialist Iran lording over Iraq. Embedded within the following comment, that you made, is the idea that if Iraq decides not to play the Iranian lackey, then Iran should help "a coup" to set things right in Iraq. Iraqi elections are just a minor inconvenience.

You are a hypocrite.

I was only speculating about possible scenarios of after the war. But supporting forces inside a country which are friendly towards you, against forces which are hostile, is different from occupying another country. If Iran invaded Iraq, it's citizens would have as much right to attack Iranian soldiers as they have now to attack American soldiers. Occupiers are occupiers, it doesn't matter from which country they come.