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Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader 'killed' Iraqis test dead militant's DNA
(40 minutes later)
Reports from Iraq say the militant leader who took over from the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as al-Qaeda leader in the country has been killed. Iraqi officials are doing DNA tests on a militant killed during a US military raid to determine if he is al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir.
Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, also known as Ayyub al-Masri, was identified by US forces as Zarqawi's successor after he was killed in a US raid in June 2006. US military sources say it is probably not Muhajir, but they are awaiting confirmation from the tests.
A correspondent for Arabia TV in Baghdad reports that al-Muhajir died in a US-led military raid in Haditha. An Arabic TV correspondent in Baghdad, quoting government sources, reported that Muhajir was killed in Haditha.
However, a spokesman for the US military has denied the reports. Muhajir took over as the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader in June after the death of his predecessor Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
"There was a raid where we thought he may have been among those killed. We are still doing DNA tests but we do not believe coalition forces have killed al-Masri," said US military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Barry Johnson in an interview with Reuters. On Sunday, an Iraqi government official said the security forces were close to capturing Muhajir, also know as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, after showing the first video images recorded of him.
On Sunday, an Iraqi government official said al-Muhajir's "days were numbered" after showing the first video images recorded of him. "There was a raid where we thought he may have been among those killed," said US military spokesman Lt Col Barry Johnson.
"We are still doing DNA tests but we do not believe coalition forces have killed al-Masri," he told Reuters after initial reports of the death.
The raid took place two days ago, he said, but he refused to give further details.