Al Qaeda in Iraq Severely Disrupted

The killing of al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi in June severely disrupted the terrorist
organization's capability, but foreign fighters entering Iraq continue to cause
problems, a senior Multinational Force Iraq spokesman told reporters in
Baghdad yesterday.

"What the al Qaeda in Iraq could do in May and what they can do today
has been seriously degraded," Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said.
"They are not as effective or as organized today as they were back in May.
But they're still an organization out there."

The general said about 50 to 70 foreign fighters enter Iraq every
month. "We know that most of them come from Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt and
Syria," he said.

Iraqi and coalition forces are capturing or killing between 30 and 50
of these foreign fighters per month, he said. "Today in Iraq there are
currently 381 foreign fighters in detention," he said.