Former Zarqawi aide killed in Iraq; aide captured with $100,000
Monday, June 30, 2008 Free Headline Alerts
BAGHDAD — The United States has killed a leading Al Qaida operative in Iraq.
The operative, reported to have been killed on June 24, was identified as the Al Qaida commander in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Abu Khalaf.
The U.S. military officials said Abu Khalaf was killed when he was reaching for his pistol. His deputy, who was carrying more than $100,000, was captured.
"Abu Khalaf previously had been a deputy and Mosul military commander for a close associate of former Al Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi, who was killed in a June 2006 coalition bombing raid," the U.S. military said. "He rose through the ranks to become the terror organization's overall chieftan in Mosul."
"With the declining morale [among Al Qaida in Iraq operatives] and paranoia within their ranks, Abu Khalaf's death and loss of funds will severely impact their terrorist operations," Lt. David Russell, a Multinational Force-Iraq spokesman, said on June 27.
Officials said Abu Khalaf had met senior Al Qaida leaders in Mosul and Jazeera. They said he had coordinated and ordered dozens of attacks against Iraqi citizens, Iraqi forces and coalition forces.
"Information gleaned from associates in custody revealed that Abu Khalaf often traveled with foreigners, and associates identified the suicide-vest-wearing man killed with him as Abu Khalud, a Syrian who was a longtime close associate of the Mosul terrorist leader," the U.S. military said.