Al-Qaeda: 'the beheading emir' arrested in Baquba

Khales, 12 Nov. (AKI) - The Iraqi army arrested on Wednesday in volatile Diyala Province a militant who is allegedly responsible for many of the brutal beheadings carried out by Al-Qaeda, Arabic satellite TV channel Al-Arabiya reported on Wednesday. Ahmad Hasan al-Azzawi, known as 'the beheading emir' was arrested in a raid outside the provincial capital, Baquba, Al-Arabiya said.

The raid reportedly took place early on Tuesday in the mountains north of the village of Khales, 15 kilometres from Baquba - an Al-Qaeda stronghold.

Sunni tribesmen from the local United States-backed Awakening Council helped carry out the raid on a suspected militant hideout, according to Al-Arabiya.

Also on Tuesday, a 13-year-old female suicide bomber killed five security officials and wounded 11 others, the US military said.