A U.S. general in Baghdad says troops have killed a leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, further reducing the terrorist group's ability to carry out attacks.General David Perkins told reporters Thursday the death of Haji Hammadi is "another significant blow" to al-Qaida in Iraq.
Hammadi was accused of planning suicide bombings, killings and kidnappings, including the abduction and murder of a U.S. sergeant in 2004.
The U.S. military says U.S. troops killed Hammadi and another insurgent November 11th in Baghdad's Mansour neighborhood.Perkins also told reporters that violence has declined significantly in Iraq over the past year.
He said the military currently sees about 20 attacks a day. He said at the same time last year, there were an average of 180 attacks a day.