|
'Saddam's man' nabbed
09/08/2003 11:59 - (SA)
Baquba, Iraq - The US army captured a suspected leader of Saddam Hussein's Fedayeen militia near the northeastern town of Baquba early on Saturday, residents said.
Lieutenant Quais Mahdi al-Obeidi was arrested in his home at 01:00 in the village of Hadayid, eight kilometres northwest of Baquba, said village resident Ziad Hadi, 30.
The soldiers had searched for him on Saturday afternoon, but he was not at home, said Hadi.
Obeidi was suspected of involvement in a mortar attack on Thursday on the US base in Baquba, 60 kilometres northeast of Baghdad.
Meanwhile, a US heavy armoured vehicle was hit by a landmine in the village of Habara, north of Baquba, blowing the tracks off the tank at 22:30, said village farmer Mohammed Qareem, 20.
He added a brief firefight ensued about 30 minutes later.
It was not clear if there were any casualties and the US military had no immediate comment.
Baquba falls within a Sunni Muslim triangle north and west of the capital, considered a haven for Saddam's supporters.
- AFP
|
News
