(KUNA) -- Joint US-Iraqi forces launched a military operation northeast of Baghdad to capture new al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Ayyoub Al-Masri. Security sources told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that a wide-scale burst and search operation was executed in Shaherban and Baladros towns in the province, noting that the campaign is based upon intelligence reports on the presence of Al-Masri there. The sources added that after 10 hours of the operation, 21 wanted persons were captured in Baladros. Also, 32 wanted persons were arrested in Meqdadyah, one of them was included in a list of 41 wanted persons announced by Iraqi National Security Adviser Dr. Mowaffaq Al-Rabe'e.The arrest came as part of a separate operation to pursue and capture insurgents and gunmen, among them is Rashid Kadhem, who is responsible for financing terrorist operations in Diyala province. Kadhem was member of the regional leadership of the dissolved Baath Party. His name is included in the list of 55 individuals wanted by the US forces and the list of 41 wanted individuals issued by the Iraqi forces. The Iraqi Central Criminal Court issued a warrant of arrest for Kadhem on January 9, 2005, with a one-million-dollar reward for any tips that lead to his arrest.
Meanwhile, the US Army announced on Thursday that it discovered an explosive factory inside a major hospital in the city of Ramadi in Anbar Province, western Iraq. A US Army press release said that Iraqi and US forces executed a search operation in the hospital, where it discovered the factory and weapon caches. A previous press release issued by the US Army said that the hospital was being used as a base for gunmen.