Report: Al-Qaida in Iraq mostly defeated

MOSUL, Iraq, July 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. military is on the verge of driving al-Qaida out of its last Iraqi stronghold, The Sunday Times of London reports.

Without naming sources, the newspaper said coalition troops are about to score one of the most spectacular victories in the war on terror. The newspaper said al-Qaida has dwindled from 12,000 to 1,200 militants who are making a "last stand" in the northern city of Mosul.

The Times said the group has been reduced to hit-and-run attacks, including one that killed two off-duty policemen Saturday and sporadic bombings.

Unnamed American and Iraqi leaders told The Times it's too soon to completely write off al-Qaida in Iraq, but said they are confident the group no longer controls any urban bases and its remnants have been largely driven into the countryside.