Got Another Big Al Qaeda Fish
Charles Johnson
Tue Jun 20, 2006 at 3:32 pm PDT • Views: 144
Candygram for Mansur Suleiman al-Mashhadani: US troops kill Zarqawi’s ‘right-hand man’. (Hat tip: Sugiero.)
The US military says it has killed the “right-hand man” of slain Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Major General William Caldwell says Iraqi Mansur Suleiman al-Mashhadani was killed on Friday by US forces in Yusifiyah, south of Baghdad.
“We do know that Sheikh Mansur was a key leader in Al Qaeda in Iraq with excellent religious, military and leadership credentials within that organisation,” General Caldwell said. He describes him as Zarqawi’s right-hand man and a liaison between Al Qaeda and tribes in the restive area south of Baghdad. The Mashhadani are a major tribe of Sunni Arabs.
“He was tied to the senior leadership, including having relationships with both Zarqawi and al-Masri,” General Caldwell said, referring to Abu Ayub al-Masri, whom the US military claim to be Zarqawi’s successor. “We do think that his death will significantly continue to impact on the ability of this organisation to regenerate and organise itself.”
Frank says: