Top aide to Al Qaeda leader in Iraq killed

Iraqi soldiers have killed a prominent militant commander believed to be a top aide for the al-Qaeda network leader in Iraq.

An army spokesman told the independent news agency, Voices of Iraq, (VOI) that Mowafaq Yassin, identified as "the right-hand man of al-Qaeda Iraqi leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir," was shot dead in a firefight on Friday in the province of Badosh, 40 kilometers west of the northern city of Mosul.

Brigadier Mutaa al-Khazraji told VOI "after clashes that went on for 30 minutes the soldiers killed him inside his home." The senior officer said that Yassin was specialized in preparing car bombs used for suicide operations.

Unfortunately his cousin Watdafaq is waiting to take his place.