Post by ۞Quaalude™۞ on Aug 5, 2007 18:34:41 GMT -5
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Coalition troops killed the al Qaeda terrorist who masterminded the February 2006 attack on Samarra's al-Askariya mosque and set off continuing violence and reprisal killings between Sunnis and Shiites, the U.S. military said Sunday.
Haitham Sabah al-Badri, the al Qaeda emir of greater Samarra, was killed by an airstrike Thursday east of Samarra, said Rear Adm. Mark Fox during a news conference.
"Eliminating al-Badri is another step in breaking the cycle of violence instigated by the attack on the holy shrine in Samarra," Fox said. "We will continue to hunt down the brutal terrorists who are intent on creating a Taliban-like state in Iraq."
Coalition forces Thursday raided four buildings outside Samarra that were associated with al-Badri, according to a U.S. military news release. During the raid, at least four armed men were seen leaving the buildings and setting up tactical fighting positions in an effort to ambush coalition forces, the release said.
The coalition forces called in close air support, killing al-Badri and the three others, the release said.
One of those killed was identified as a foreigner; al-Badri was identified by his close associates and relatives, the military said.
El-Badri's death was first reported Saturday by a high-ranking Iraqi Interior Ministry official.
No one was injured in the attack on the Golden Mosque, one of the holiest Shiite sites, but thousands have been killed by the death squads and reprisal bombings that have ravaged Iraq in the 17½ months since the attack.
In addition to the February attack that collapsed the mosque's dome, another bombing in June destroyed the shrine's two remaining minarets.
Al-Badri is believed to have been involved in other attacks, including two last year, Fox said -- the June 23 bombing of a Kirkuk courthouse that left 20 Iraqis dead and the August 28 attack at a Samarra checkpoint that killed 29 Iraqi soldiers. QC
Good They Got This Guy But Bad That Such a Nice dome and People Gut Blown Up . What Can Bring a Halt to This Bloodshed ?
www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/08/05/iraq.main/index.html
Haitham Sabah al-Badri, the al Qaeda emir of greater Samarra, was killed by an airstrike Thursday east of Samarra, said Rear Adm. Mark Fox during a news conference.
"Eliminating al-Badri is another step in breaking the cycle of violence instigated by the attack on the holy shrine in Samarra," Fox said. "We will continue to hunt down the brutal terrorists who are intent on creating a Taliban-like state in Iraq."
Coalition forces Thursday raided four buildings outside Samarra that were associated with al-Badri, according to a U.S. military news release. During the raid, at least four armed men were seen leaving the buildings and setting up tactical fighting positions in an effort to ambush coalition forces, the release said.
The coalition forces called in close air support, killing al-Badri and the three others, the release said.
One of those killed was identified as a foreigner; al-Badri was identified by his close associates and relatives, the military said.
El-Badri's death was first reported Saturday by a high-ranking Iraqi Interior Ministry official.
No one was injured in the attack on the Golden Mosque, one of the holiest Shiite sites, but thousands have been killed by the death squads and reprisal bombings that have ravaged Iraq in the 17½ months since the attack.
In addition to the February attack that collapsed the mosque's dome, another bombing in June destroyed the shrine's two remaining minarets.
Al-Badri is believed to have been involved in other attacks, including two last year, Fox said -- the June 23 bombing of a Kirkuk courthouse that left 20 Iraqis dead and the August 28 attack at a Samarra checkpoint that killed 29 Iraqi soldiers. QC
Good They Got This Guy But Bad That Such a Nice dome and People Gut Blown Up . What Can Bring a Halt to This Bloodshed ?
www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/08/05/iraq.main/index.html