BAGHDAD, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- An Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman said the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq was wounded in a battle with police and his top aide was killed in the clash.
Iraqi Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf said police clashing with insurgents on the road between Fallujah and Samara wounded Abu Ayyub al-Masri and killed his top aide, Abu Abdullah al-Majamiai, CNN reported Friday. He said Majamiai's body is in police possession.
Khalaf said the insurgents were planning to enter the town of Balad.
However, senior U.S. military officials in Iraq told the BBC they do not believe reports that Masri, whom the United States is offering a $5 million bounty for, has been injured.
CNN said Iraqi officials would not clarify whether Masri had been captured during the gun battle.
Since taking over the role of leader from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in June, Masri has been involved in an estimated 2,000 car bombings that caused the deaths of more than 6,000 Iraqis, Iraqi Interior Minister Mowaffak al-Rubaie said.
