In Iraq, the US and Iraqi governments are claiming to have scored a major victory with the killing of two top militant leaders. An Iraqi unit backed by the US reportedly carried out the operation on Saturday. Vice President Joe Biden said the killings could mark a “devastating blow” to al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Vice President Joe Biden: “Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the former leaders of AQI, are the ones who plotted, planned and executed terrorist attacks against the Iraqis in recent past, as well as against Americans. Their deaths are potentially devastating blows to al-Qaeda Iraq. But equally important, in my view, is this action demonstrates the improved security, strength and capacity of Iraqi security forces.”

Despite Biden’s claims, there is uncertainty around the identity of the second militant, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. The Iraqi government has already claimed to have killed or captured him on previous occasions, and US officials have questioned whether he is even a real person or a fictionalized persona invented by Iraqi militants.