Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has said that 167 foreign fighters, including Syrians, Sudanese, and Saudis, have been arrested in Iraq and are being held under Iraqi custody and would be tried under Iraqi law.
"We arrested 167 from the foreign terrorist elements who enter Iraq and we are talking to them and interrogating them," Allawi told a news conference in Baghdad on Sunday.
Among those detained were 33 rebels from Sudan, 30 from Syria, 24 from Saudi Arabia, 21 from Egypt, 14 from Jordan, 11 Iraqis trained in Afghanistan, seven Tunisians, five Yemenis, four Palestinians, four Libyans, three Moroccans, and three Lebanese, the premier told a news conference in Baghdad without specifying when the arrests took place.
Allawi also confirmed the recent killing of four senior Zarqawi operatives. The men were identified as Egyptian Abu Omar Al Masri, Jordanian Abu Anas Al Chami, Lebanese Abu Muhammad Al Lubnani, and Saudi Abu Ahmed Al Tabuki, whom Allawi also identified as Baruki.
He also said that some 3,000 gunmen, working for a deputy of ousted president Saddam Hussein, had been detained in recent days.
"In a very short time we have arrested 3,000 gunmen who were working under Izzat Al Duri [the former vice-president of Iraq who is still on the run]," Allawi said.
Iraqi PM says 167 foreign fighters arrested
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