Afghan govt: Al-Zarqawi's death great news for Muslims

Afghanistan’s government today praised the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida’s leader in Iraq, saying it was good news for all Muslims.

Al-Zarqawi, who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and kidnappings, was killed yesterday in an airstrike north of Baghdad, US and Iraqi officials announced today.

“Al-Qaida is the biggest threat to the world. Al-Zarqawi’s death is a huge victory in the war,” said Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Gen. Zahir Azimi.

“This is good news for all Muslims and people of all religions. He was killing people of all faiths. I hope the situation in Iraq will improve now.”

Al-Zarqawi is believed to have gone to Afghanistan in 1999, where he formed links with Osama bin Laden.

He fled during the US-led war that ousted the Taliban in late 2001, passing through Iran to Iraq.

Nearly five years on, Afghanistan is still fighting its own war against al-Qaida and its Taliban allies.