A US air strike has killed the al-Qaeda militant who masterminded Iraq's deadliest bombings, which killed more than 400 people last month.
Abu Mohammed al-Afri, also known as Abu Jassam, was killed in the air strike 115km southwest of the northern city of Mosul. Abu Jassam was an associate of Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the Egyptian-born leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Entire families were wiped out on 14 August after suicide bombers blew up four lorries packed with explosives on in two villages inhabited by the ancient Yazidi religious sect in the northern province of Nineveh.
Meanwhile in Baghdad, countries bordering Iraq are meeting today at to find ways to bring an end to the bloodshed in the country.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki opened the conference, which aims to solve Iraq’s energy crisis and find ways to deal with the flood of refugees.
Warning that the danger of terrorism faced the entire region, Mr Maliki said Baghdad could hold the key for solving differences. He also said that Iraq could be a ‘ground’ for friends and rivals.
Some 22 delegations were attending the conference, including representatives from Iran the G8 and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
This is the second conference of this kind since a meeting in the Iraqi capital six months ago.
