Skip to main content

Militant leader killed in Iraq raid

By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • One person is killed and six are seized in a raid by Iraqi security forces
  • The operation took place southeast of Baghdad
  • The militant had "close ties" to other insurgent leaders

Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi security forces killed a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq leader southeast of Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Saturday.

The raid -- which took place near Salman Pak on Friday -- also led to the arrests of six other al Qaeda "criminal associates." The military said in a statement that American military advisers accompanied the Iraqi troops in the operation.

The military searched several buildings for a suspected AQI leader and the "suspect presented clear hostile intent towards security forces."

Troops responded and the suspect was killed.

"The deceased individual had close ties to Qasawi, the deceased AQI emir of Kirkuk and Abu Khalid, another known member of the terrorist organization," the military said.