Unknown armed militants attacked anti-Qaeda fighters north of Iraq's capital Sunday, killing the group's leader, according to Agence France Presse Sunday.
The militants allegedly entered the home of Abu Salim, who is the head of the Sahwa, a group of Sunni anti-Qaeda fighters who worked with U.S. forces after 2006 to oust Al Qaeda militants from the country, killing and decapitating his wife and two sons. Another person was also allegedly killed in the attack.
Abu Salim was not home when the militants entered his house.
The unknown militants allegedly arrived at the home in the city of Sumarra in the predominantly Sunni suburb of Jilam with more than a dozen heavily armed vehicles.
After killing Abu Salim's wife and sons, the militants set off explosives around the home, leaving two other sons injured.
Policemen located at a nearby checkpoint were said to have tried to stop the militants, but were unsuccessful, forcing them to flee the scene once they ran out of ammunition and reinforcements.
The Sahwa are often considered traitors by their co-religionists due to their cooperation with the U.S. on anti-Qaeda operations and are thus often the target of Sunni militant attacks in the country.
Iraq is facing its worst period of violence since the country's 2006-07 sectarian clashes. AFP has recorded at least 240 deaths in Iraq this month alone.
