U.S. troops reportedly killed a key insurgent who was the planner of an important Shia shrine. This al-Qaeda leader who planned the attack on the shrine led to a major escalation in sectarian violence.
Haitham al-Badri plotted and carried out the 2006 and 2007 attacks on the al-Askari shrine in Samarra, which destroyed its golden dome and minarets.
Badri, allegedly the leader of al-Qaeda in Salahuddin Province, was eliminated on Thursday by US troops east of Samarra.
The attacks on the mosque horrified Shias which set off a wave of sectarian violence which claimed the lives of thousands of civilians.
While U.S. troops continue to do their job, the Iraqis are failing to create a viable and unified governmental structure.
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