US condemns killing of Egyptian diplomat in Iraq

The United States on Friday condemned the murder of Egypt's ambassador to Iraq and said such attacks will not deter the commitments of the United States in Iraq.

"The United States condemns the brutal murder of Ambassador Ihab al-Sherif, charge d'affaires of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Iraq," the State Department said in a statement.

"Such a attacks will not deter us from our commitments to assist the Iraqi people in their transition towards a peaceful and prosperous Iraq," the statement said.

The statement said that the United States will continue to work with the Iraqi government and security officials to bring those responsible to justice and to eliminate the network behind them.

According to a videotape posted on an Islamic web site, Iraq's al-Qaeda group killed the top Egyptian envoy on Thursday, four days after he was kidnapped by the group in Baghdad,

"We in al-Qaida Organization for Holy War in Iraq announce that the judgment of God has been carried out against the ambassador of infidels, ambassador of Egypt," said the group led by the most wanted man in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Source: Xinhua