Thursday, June 8 2006 13:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Baghdad: Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has announced the killing of the Al-Qaeda chief in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al-Iraqiya state television reported.

"The prime minister announces the killing of Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the head of an organisation known as Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia," the television reported.

The report said Zarqawi had been killed south of Baghdad.

The US military said it would have no comment until after the prime minister had spoken publicly.