LOC18:49
15:49 GMT
WASHINGTON, Aug 8 (KUNA) -- A US Commander in Iraq said Wednesday al-Qaeda
leadership in Iraq bolstered its foreign fighter facilitation network in
recent weeks ahead of September's Washington deadline to evaluate US troops
surge in Iraq.
"We have seen in the last six weeks indications that al-Qaeda has actually
sent more people into Iraq to try to shore up the al-Qaeda network in Iraq,"
said Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Effects in the Multinational Force in
Iraq Brigadier General Kevin Bergner.
Speaking via teleconference from Iraq with bloggers in a Pentagon round
table, Bergner talked about "some tactical momentum achieved" in the month of
July and the first week of August where coalition forces captured or killed
around 18 senior al-Qaeda leaders in July including the most senior Iraqi
national in al-Qaeda leadership in Iraq Khaled al-Mashhadani.
The US Commander referred as well to what happened last Sunday in Abu
Hanifa Mosque in Baghdad last Sunday as local citizens helped the Iraqi army
capture terrorists who sought sanctuary in the Mosque and the result was
finding "a large weapons cache" in its backyard.
"We know that al-Qaeda still has the ability to conduct these barbaric
spectacular attacks," noting that the US military will "keep the pressure on
every aspect of the al-Qaeda operations and their affiliates."
Bergner said that al-Qaeda leaders "are not able to maintain the same
coherence in their command and control and their planning and direction of
operations."
"They spend more of their time having to regenerate and re-establish the
leadership connections," he added.
"We continue to mount operations against extremist militias frequently
supported by Iran's Qods Force," said Bergner noting that the military
operation by the coalition forces earlier today in Sadr City Eastern Baghdad
was completed, killing 30 militants and detaining 12 others.
The US Commander said "there is a steady development at local level as
security improves" crediting the surge for that matter and admitting "it is
still a hard fight." (end)
jm.eh
KUNA 081849 Aug 07NNNN