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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=51513

“Defeating Terror Cells Key to Terror Fight, Official Says”

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2008

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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=51512

Coalition Forces Kill al-Qaida in Iraq’s No. 2 Leader

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2008 – Coalition forces killed the second-ranking commander of al-Qaida in Iraq in a raid earlier this month, senior U.S. officials confirmed today.

Abu Qaswarah was killed in an Oct. 5 raid in the northern Iraq city of Mosul, Navy Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said in a Baghdad news conference.

Four other insurgents also were killed in the attack on a building serving as an al-Qaida command and control center, Driscoll said. Qaswarah’ death “will significantly degrade” the terrorist group’s operations in Mosul and northern Iraq, the admiral said.

Qaswarah led al-Qaida in Iraq operations in northern Iraq, and he had ties to senior al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Driscoll said.
Qaswarah, also known as Abu Sara, led AQI operations in northern Iraq since June 2007. A Moroccan native, Abu Qaswarah had historic ties to AQI founder Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and senior al-Qaida leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Driscoll said.

Driscoll called Abu Qaswarah a charismatic AQI leader who rallied AQI’s northern network in the wake of major setbacks to the terrorist organization across Iraq. Most recently, Abu Qaswarah oversaw the failed attempt to destroy the Mosul Civic Center during the Holy month of Ramadan – an attack that could have killed hundreds of innocent Iraqis, Driscoll said.

Al-Qaida’s influence in the country has weakened in the past year, the admiral said. In the past quarter, violent attacks in Iraq have dropped by more than 77 percent over the previous quarter, he said. In Baghdad, violent attacks have dropped 90 percent.

“If you look at the numbers, security continues to improve. It’s showing a degree of durability in terms of lasting,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll credited the surge efforts, the increased numbers of Iraqis rejecting the extremists, and especially the much-improved capabilities of the Iraqi security forces for the drop in violence. The improved security has happened even as five U.S. brigade combat teams left Iraq and another 8,000 U.S. troops are slated to leave by the end of January 2009.

“This is a lot of combat power coming off the battlefield, but we’re seeing increased levels of security at the same time,” Driscoll said. “It’s because Iraqi security forces have grown by over 150,000 over this period, and they are demonstrating increased professionalism, increased capacity to support themselves and increased sophistication in how they conduct themselves.”

Driscoll warned, though, that the fight is far from over.

“Is the job done yet? No, it’s not done yet,” Driscoll said. “That’s why it’s still important that we focus on al-Qaida and continue to go after these networks and take them apart.

“It’s going to continue to be a fight here in Iraq until al-Qaida’s driven out,” Driscoll said.