US forces have seized another former member of Saddam Hussein's toppled government in a raid southeast of Tikrit, defence officials said today.
The officials said Adil Abdallah Mahdi al-Duri al-Tikriti was taken into custody along with "a few generals" from Saddam's military in the operation in Ad Dawr yesterday.
Mahdi ranks as No. 52 on the US list of the top 55 wanted members of Saddam's government. He is designated as the "two of diamonds" in the deck of playing cards given to US troops to make them familiar with Iraqi fugitives.
US Central Command identifies Mahdi as a Baath Party regional chairman for the Dhi Qar governorate.
His apprehension brings to 22 the number of the 55 wanted fugitives now in US custody.
Officials said US soldiers arrested dozens of men in the raid near Tikrit, Saddam's hometown, which followed a tip from unidentified informants. The officials did not identify the generals arrested.