Iraqi security forces arrest two Qaida leaders

Iraqi security forces on Monday announced the arrest of two al-Qaida leaders in Baghdad, and one of them is said to be al-Qaida's military commander of Baghdad.

Abbas Najem Abdullah al-Jawari, 26, known as Abu Abdulla, was captured in Yarmouk district in western Baghdad on April 16, Major General Qassim Atta, military spokesman of Baghdad Operation Command, told reporters at a news conference in Baghdad.

Atta said Abu Abdullah is the military emir, or commander, for the al-Qaida group in Baghdad and was one of the al-Qaida leaders who planned the attacks against Baghdad hotels in January and against foreign embassies in April.

Atta said that the Iraqi forces also captured Mohammed Nuri Mutar Yassin al-Abadi, 32, known as Abu Assad in Baghdad al-Jadida, or New Baghdad, neighborhood in southeastern the capital on May 1.

Abadi is the leader of the assassinations unit of al-Qaida in Baghdad who is responsible for varieties of terrorist attacks, he said.

Iraq frequently said that his troops killed or captured al- Qaida leaders across the country, including the killing of two top leaders Abu Omer al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Musri during a military operation by Iraqi and U.S. forces last month.

Both Iraqi and U.S. officials said the killing of the two top leaders dealt a big blow to al-Qaida in the war-torn country. However, major attacks continued across the country, leaving hundreds dead in the past several weeks.

Source: Xinhua