Al Qaeda Leader Shot

There are reports that the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq has been wounded and an aide killed in a shoot out with police.

 

Mehdi leader told to pack their bags
Mehdi Army leader Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered all his top militia chiefs to leave Iraq. According to President Talibani, this is to allow the US a free hand to arrest any rebel militia elements and to enable the US to succeed in their current operation.

Muqtada al-Sadr is known to have been facing internal opposition and, evidently, now the US can take care of that for him, while he is protected in Tehran. Many residents are bemoaning the loss of the protection of the Mehdi Army, now disbanded, while Sunni sectarian bombings increase. It waits to be seen if a sizeable section of the Mehdi Army will now break away or remain loyal to the former Anti-American firebrand.  

 

23.30 CET