One al-Qaida slain, 25 arrested in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- U.S.-led coalition forces say their troops killed an alleged al-Qaida member and detained 25 others in separate Iraq military operations this weekend.

U.S. forces said in a statement they conducted a raid Sunday against a militant position in Mosul, and after a bloody confrontation, the alleged al-Qaida operative was killed, KUNA, the Kuwait news agency, reported.

Elsewhere in Iraq, 25 people were reported arrested during raids in Tikrit, Mosul, Abu Ghraib, Samarra, Tarmiyah and al-Huwaijah, officials said.

They said most of the detainees were involved in financing terrorists attacks while others allegedly had ties with al-Qaida leaders.