Special report: Tension accelerates in Iraq

    BAGHDAD, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led coalition forces continued chasing suspected al-Qaida members in Iraq, killing 25 suspects and detaining 300 others in July, the U.S. military said on Sunday.

    The multinational troops conducted more than 150 raids in the past month against "terrorist" leadership including key figures who were "responsible for killing innocent Iraqis," the military said in a statement.

    The most important operations were when the troops captured four leaders of al-Qaida's Omer Brigade, who were responsible for major bombing and sectarian bloodshed, the statement said.

    Despite the heavy blow to Omer Brigade, which claimed killing of more than 120 people in July only, the group still jeopardizes civilians, it added.

    On July 18, Iraq's National Advisor Muwafaq al-Rubaie announced the capture of four al-Qaida leaders of Omer Brigade, identifying them as Ubo Uthman, Abu Aisha, Abu Eyhab and Abu Islam.

    In June, al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. air raid near Baquba, 60 km north of Baghdad. Enditem