(KUNA) -- Two Al-Qaeda operatives had been killed and 14 were arrested in the Diyala province, north eastern Baghdad, Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesperson, Mohammad Al-Askari, announced Saturday. Al-Askari told reporters, the arrests came during a rapid response operation. He added, 40 militants were arrested in the Al-Hadeed and Beldruz towns in Diyali in other raids by Iraqi forces.Iraqi authorities announced yesterday that 11 Al-Qaeda operatives have been killed and around 250 detained in rapid response operations in Diyala. The Multi-National Forces (MNF) and Iraqi troops have been cracking down on Al-Qaeda militants and other insurgents nationwide.