Terrorist and al-Qaida’s leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was killed in an American air strike north of Baghdad at 6:15 p.m. local Iraqi time on Wednesday, according to top U.S. and Iraqi officials.Responsible for the death of thousands, Zarqawi gained infamous status worldwide for his grisly methods of terrorism, inciting insurgency and radical statements within the Islamic community. The New York Times reports that his oft-stated goal was to create a new “caliphate” in Iraq, modeled after the vast areas of the Arab world that came under strict Islamic rule within 100 years of the death of the Prophet Mohammed in the seventh century.His body was positively identified by fingerprints, “facial recognition” and known scars, the Times reports. Seven of Zarqawi’s generals were also killed in the strike.The announcement of his death appeared to be a breakthrough in the war in Iraq and the global war on terrorism. He had a $25 million bounty on his head and was the most wanted man in Iraq, the Times reports. “Zarqawi was the godfather of sectarian killing in Iraq,” Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, told reporters. “He led a civil war within Islam and a global war with civilizations.”According to the article, the timing of Zarqawi’s death coincided with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki’s announcement that the government took a crucial step forward by winning Parliamentary approval of nominees for interior and defense minister. National Public Radio reports that a general sense of relief and positive outlook are present in Iraq and its neighboring Muslim countries. Celebrations have begun and are also being planned in many Shiite Arab communities that were often targets of Zarqawi’s radical Sunni followers.Local and foreign government officials, as well as business leaders, are looking forward to increased stability. Additionally, crude oil prices have dropped below $70 per barrel at this news of al-Zarqawi’s death.However, the Times reports, Khalilzad also cautioned that “there will be difficult days ahead. I call on Iraq’s various communities to take responsibility for bringing sectarian violence to an end, and for all Iraqis to unite.”Keep checking in at our Security Feed page, or subscribe via RSS, for updated news coverage.Compiled by Paul Kerstein Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe