NICOSIA Ñ The United States has captured a major military official
under the deposed regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
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Gen. Kamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan Al Tikriti
was secretary of the elite Republic Guard
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U.S. Central Command said Gen. Kamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan Al Tikriti
was captured in Baghdad over the weekend. The command identified Al Tikriti
as secretary of the elite Republic Guard.
"He surrendered to coalition forces early this morning in Baghdad,"
Central Command said in a statement on Saturday.
Al Tikriti was number 10 on the list of 55 most wanted Iraqis. So far 23
members of that list have been captured.
U.S. officials said many of Saddam's aides, including Izzet Eddin
Ibrahim Al Douri, were believed to have fled to Syria in early April. They
said some of them quietly left Syria for Lebanon and Libya.
On Sunday, the London-based Telegraph newspaper reported that Saddam's
nephew, Fatiq Majid, entered Syria on May 12 and was provided with safe
haven in Damascus. Majid is the brother-in-law of Qusay Hussein, the younger
son and expected heir to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
