"Watban Ibrahim Hasan, Saddam's half-brother who served as interior minister and in other sensitive positions, was captured today by coalition forces in Rabia," northwest of Mosul and close to the border with Syria, said KTV, which is run by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Massoud Barzani.

The wording of the news implied that Watban, who also held a state security post in the past, had been attempting to flee to Syria.

Another half-brother, Barzan al-Tikriti, was killed Friday morning in US bombing of his farm, in the region of Ramadi west of Baghdad, a family friend told AFP.

Both Watban and Barzan, who are full brothers, figure on the list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqi leaders issued by the US Defense Department on Friday, two days after the capture of Baghdad by US forces put an end to Saddam's 24-year rule.

Barzan is named on the list as "Barzan Ibrahim Hasan," and he and Watban are each identified as "presidential advisor and Saddam half-brother."

SPACE.WIRE