Iraq says top Qaeda arrest led to strike on Baghdadi

The capture of al-Qaeda in Iraq`s Baghdad chief six weeks ago triggered a series of events that culminated in the killing of the jihadist network`s top commanders, a security official said on Thursday.

Baghdad: The capture of al-Qaeda in Iraq`s
Baghdad chief six weeks ago triggered a series of events that
culminated in the killing of the jihadist network`s top
commanders, a security official said on Thursday.

Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the political leader of al-Qaeda in
Iraq (AQI), and Abu Ayub al-Masri, an Egyptian militant and
the insurgent group`s self-styled "minister of war," died on
Sunday, according to Iraqi and US officials.
Major General Qassim Atta, a Baghdad military spokesman,
told reporters that last month`s detention of Munaf Abdul
Rahim al-Rawi ultimately led to the Iraqi-US operation that
killed Baghdadi and Masri in their northern hideout.

Rawi, known as Abu Haider and dubbed "the governor of
Baghdad," planned the bombings of government ministries and
hotels in the capital that have killed hundreds and wounded
thousands of people since August last year, Atta said.

"He was arrested in the district of Hateen, in west
Baghdad, on March 11," and subsequently interrogated, Atta
told reporters.
"Brigade 54 of the Iraqi army and an intelligence cell
created by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to fight Al-Qaeda
found a huge amount of documents and information which led
security forces to trap the main AQI leaders," he said.

Baghdadi and Masri were purportedly killed in Salaheddin
province, north of Baghdad, on Sunday.

Defence analysts, however, cautioned that Iraq`s
fledgling security forces must also remove AQI`s mid-level
commanders if attacks, such as those that have rocked Baghdad
in the past eight months, are to stop.

PTI

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.