Iraqi Rebel Leaders Captured
U.S. Marines said Saturday they had captured two leaders of a militant group linked to Al Qaeda ally Abu Musab Zarqawi in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi.
It said the men, Saleh Arugayan Khalil, also known as Abu Obaida, and Bassem Mohammed Hazim, also known as Abu Khattab, were captured Dec. 8 and Dec. 12, respectively, during sweeps of Al Anbar province, west of Baghdad.
“These individuals were cell leaders for a local Zarqawi-affiliated terrorist group that is operating in Ramadi and western Anbar province,” the Marines said in a statement.
“This group is responsible for intimidating, attacking and murdering innocent Iraqi civilians, police, security forces and business and political leaders.”
The Marines said the men led a group that had kidnapped and killed 11 Iraqi national guardsmen in recent months, planted bombs and smuggled foreign militants into Iraq. Information from locals helped Marines capture several of its members.
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