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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US 'kills senior Iraqi insurgent' | US 'kills senior Iraqi insurgent' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The US military says it has confirmed that a militant it killed this week was a key insurgent described as al-Qaeda in Iraq's "information minister". | The US military says it has confirmed that a militant it killed this week was a key insurgent described as al-Qaeda in Iraq's "information minister". |
| Muharib Abdul Latif al-Jubouri died in an operation near Baghdad on Tuesday, said Maj Gen William Caldwell. | Muharib Abdul Latif al-Jubouri died in an operation near Baghdad on Tuesday, said Maj Gen William Caldwell. |
| Jubouri had reportedly been involved in kidnapping a number of foreigners. | Jubouri had reportedly been involved in kidnapping a number of foreigners. |
| But Gen Caldwell said he could not confirm Iraqi statements that other top militants, including the country's al-Qaeda head, had also died this week. | But Gen Caldwell said he could not confirm Iraqi statements that other top militants, including the country's al-Qaeda head, had also died this week. |
| Abducted journalist | Abducted journalist |
| Jubouri is believed to have been involved in the abduction of a number of foreigners, including American Tom Fox - who was killed by his captors - and US journalist Jill Carroll who was freed. | |
| "We killed him... west of Taji on the first day of May," Gen Caldwell said. | "We killed him... west of Taji on the first day of May," Gen Caldwell said. |
| "When we can pick up someone like that who has that kind of history in being associated with the kidnapping and killing of foreign nationals in this country, that's significant," Gen Caldwell said, adding that the body had been identified through DNA tests. | "When we can pick up someone like that who has that kind of history in being associated with the kidnapping and killing of foreign nationals in this country, that's significant," Gen Caldwell said, adding that the body had been identified through DNA tests. |
| Earlier on Thursday, the Iraqi government said it had killed the leader of an insurgent coalition group affiliated with al-Qaeda, the so-called Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). | Earlier on Thursday, the Iraqi government said it had killed the leader of an insurgent coalition group affiliated with al-Qaeda, the so-called Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). |
| Deputy Interior Minister Hussein Ali Kamal told AFP news agency that a militant known as Omar al-Baghdadi was killed in western Baghdad. | |
| "His body is under the control of the interior ministry. His body has been identified," he said. | "His body is under the control of the interior ministry. His body has been identified," he said. |
| Green Zone attack | Green Zone attack |
| Photographs of what was said to be his body were shown on Iraqi television. | Photographs of what was said to be his body were shown on Iraqi television. |
| But Gen Caldwell said he had no information on whether he had been killed and cast doubt on whether Baghdadi even existed. | But Gen Caldwell said he had no information on whether he had been killed and cast doubt on whether Baghdadi even existed. |
| The ISI is an umbrella group of Sunni insurgents including al-Qaeda in Iraq. | The ISI is an umbrella group of Sunni insurgents including al-Qaeda in Iraq. |
| On Tuesday, the Iraqi government said it had killed the head of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri - but this has not been confirmed independently. | On Tuesday, the Iraqi government said it had killed the head of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri - but this has not been confirmed independently. |
| In a separate development, four contractors working for the US embassy in Baghdad - one from the Philippines, onefrom Nepal and two from India - died on Wednesday in a rocket attack on the Green Zone. | |
| The heavily fortified zone is the nerve centre of the US operation in Iraq and home to the Iraqi parliament. | The heavily fortified zone is the nerve centre of the US operation in Iraq and home to the Iraqi parliament. |
| The area has come under increasing rocket attack in recent weeks. | The area has come under increasing rocket attack in recent weeks. |
| In March, a suicide bomber killed several people in the Iraqi parliament. | In March, a suicide bomber killed several people in the Iraqi parliament. |