The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq Abu Ayyub al-Masri has been killed in an area north of Baghdad, Iraqi state-run television reported on Tuesday.

"News said that Abu Ayyub al-Masri has been killed in Nibaie area in Taji," the Iraqia television quoted Brigadier-General Abdul Karim Khalaf as saying.

"Definite intelligence reports said that disputes among the Qaida groups developed to internal clashes which resulted in the killing of Abu Ayyub al-Masri," Khalaf told the television.

"We have very strong evidences that he (Masri) was killed, but still we need more investigations," he said.

Nibaie, some 50 km north of Baghdad, is part of Taji area which is the hotbed of insurgency, including the al-Qaida militants.

Source: Xinhua