Saddam's deputy not found

2003-12-02 18:36

Hawijah, Iraq - US troops that encircled the town of Hawijah for 12 hours on Tuesday in a swoop for Saddam Hussein's deputy Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, as part of a massive manhunt across north-central Iraq, failed to find the wanted fugitive, a US spokesperson said.

"Al-Duri was not captured in this raid," said Major Doug Vincent, speaking for the 173rd Airborne Division, which mounted the huge search operation, to reporters who accompanied the 1 200 troops involved.

The principal target of the search in this town of 80 000 people, 45km west of Iraq's northern oil centre of Kirkuk, was someone who had a "close relation with al-Duri," another US officer told reporters.

- AFP