Iraqi Mosul al Qaeda leader killed

by phrolen | August 2, 2007 at 07:56 am | 430 views | add comment | 0 recommendations

On the heels of a steady stream of good news coming from Iraq as of late came the deadly wave suicide and car bombings that rocked the country on Wednesday. However, in typical Iraq war fashion, a faint positive glimmer followed the carnage with the news of Alqaeda in Iraq's Mosul branch captain being killed by coalition forces. Mosul was the site of the 2004 Al Qaeda bombing of a U.S. base dining facility that killed 24.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Mosul leader of al Qaeda in Iraq was shot to death by Iraqi soldiers during a combat operation in the northern Iraqi city Wednesday, a U.S. military statement said.

U.S. and Iraqi troops have been taking on militants in the Baquba area and throughout Diyala province

It comes as the U.S. records its lowest monthly troop death toll since November, reflecting military hopes that the recent military buildup is making strides.

Iraqi soldiers spotted al Qaeda's emir of Mosul -- known as Safi -- riding in a pickup truck in northeastern Mosul and began chasing his vehicle, the military said in a statement released Thursday.

After pulling over, Safi and two bodyguards emerged from the truck and opened fire on the soldiers, but they were shot dead, the military said.

"The death of Safi will further disrupt senior AQI leadership in Mosul, which has been unstable since May, due to the combined efforts of Coalition Forces and ISF (Iraqi security forces) offensive operations," said U.S. Army Col. Stephen Twitty, commander of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.