Two Sons of Hussein Killed during Battle

The two sons of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Uday (39, eldest) and Qusay (37, second eldest) were killed in a raid at an opulent mansion in Mosul, northern Iraq on July 22 (local time) after 6 hour’s battle.

This is the greatest outcome since President George W. Bush declared the end of war in major areas of Iraq on May 1.

U.S. forces were informed of it at around 9 a.m. and dispatched 200 soldiers belonging to 101st Airborne Division seized the mansion in Mosul area. Iraqis in the mansion snubbed U.S. Forces’ inspection and fiercely resisted firing rifles. However, U.S. helicopters fired rocket guns to suppress the resistance.

Four dead bodies were found in the mansion, and they are Uday, Qusay, Qusay’s son and a bodyguard, foreign news agencies reported. In addition, Hussein’s relatives, Shake Mohammad Aljaidan and his son, who offered Hussein’s sons the mansion were arrested, sources said.

The killed Qusay and Uday were the second and third most wanted Iraqis after Saddam on the US wanted list. They were also often referred to be the two axes of the tyrant government who controlled the military information and media before the Iraq war. “I expect attacks from the Iraqi guerrillas who were under the influence of them would decrease,” US army Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez said.

British, Australia and Japanese government and many other countries made welcoming statements. The falling New York stock market rallied in stocks after the news of the two sons’ death was reported, and Texas light oil price for .August delivery was dropped to US 1.59 dollars a barrel.

Ki-Tae Kwon kkt@donga.com