Official: Al-Qaida in Iraq leader wounded

Some good news from Iraq:

Al-Qaeda in Iraq Leader Wounded
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq was wounded and an aide was killed in a clash Thursday with Iraqi forces north of Baghdad, the Interior Ministry spokesman said.

The clash occurred near Balad, a major U.S. base about 50 miles north of the capital, Brig. Gen Abdul-Karim Khalaf said.

Khalaf said al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri was wounded and his aide, identified as Abu Abdullah al-Majemaai, was killed.

More good news from Iraq from earlier this week:

Sadr leaves Iraq for Iran

WASHINGTON: The powerful Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr has left Iraq and has been living in Iran for the last several weeks, senior Bush administration officials say.

With fresh U.S. forces arriving in Baghdad as part of the White House plan to stabilize the capital, officials in Washington suggested Tuesday that Sadr might have fled from Iraq to avoid being captured or killed during the crackdown.