Iraq has captured 17 Al Qaida leaders over the past week. Officials said the Iraq Army and security forces have arrested 17 senior Al Qaida operatives in central Iraq. They said another Al Qaida commander was killed in a U.S.-Iraqi operation."My message to the terrorists and death squads is 'Your ally is failure,'" Iraqi National Security Adviser Muwaffaq Al Rubaie said.
On Thursday, Al Rubaie told a news conference that many of the Al Qaida operatives were captured in an operation to foil insurgency cells in Baghdad. He said 35,000 Iraqi troops have been deployed in the Iraqi capital, Middle East Newsline reported.
Five of the Al Qaida operatives were arrested in Baghdad, Al Rubaie said. The official identified one of the operatives as Dr. Saad, said to have been killed in an operation south of Baghdad. Al Rubaie identified the other Al Qaida operatives as Amir Al Karoghly, deemed a spiritual guide in the Baghdad province. Another operative was identified as Mohammed Ali Al Obeidi, accused of planning dozens of car bombings in which hundreds of Iraqis have been killed.
The operation has been comprised of 22,000 local police and 13,000 members of the national police. Officials said more than 30,000 patrols were conducted. "I would like to kiss every policeman on his forehead and tell him thank you for all what you sacrificed," Al Rubaie said.
Iraq and the United States have launched the second phase of the Baghdad security plan. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki said forces by the Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry have been participating in the operation.