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Al-Qaida numbers down in Iraq

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. intelligence officials suggest the number of fighters loyal to al-Qaida in Iraq have plummeted to less than 5,000, an analysis said Wednesday.

The conservative magazine Human Events noted the number of al-Qaida fighters in Iraq had approached some 20,000, but anonymous sources in the U.S. intelligence community put the current total at less than 5,000.

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"Al Qaida in Iraq's overall strength is down by well over half in the last year," sources say.

The source said that al-Qaida leadership in Pakistan and Afghanistan recognize their efforts in Iraq are dwindling, but still maintain their ability to upset the fragile security situation as a spate of suicide bombings have rocked the war-torn country in recent weeks.

U.S. intelligence officials told the magazine they had intercepted several e-mail and cell phone conversations suggesting al-Qaida agents are on the run as several safe havens are coming under increased attacks.

Eliminating al-Qaida from Iraq would be a significant boost to the broader U.S.-led global counter-terrorism campaign, the report said. Some analysts, however, caution al-Qaida in Iraq is restructuring its hierarchy and strategy as the number of U.S. troops continues to decline.

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Meanwhile, a statement from the reported head of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, issued a 37-minute audio message Sept. 24 calling on former fighters to join forces once again in Iraq.

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