A statement issued by the US Central Command said "Sultan Hashem Ahmad al-Jabburi al-Tai, number 27 on the coalition's list of most-wanted government officials, is now under custody of coalition forces.
"The former Iraqi minister of defense turned himself in to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) on September 19," it said.
Lieutenant Colonel George Krivo, the chief military spokesperson for the US-led coalition, called the surrender "another demonstration that the Baath regime will not survive in this country.
"Everytime we catch another of the 55 most wanted, it is an indication to the Iraqi people and the international community that this regime is gone forever," Krivo told reporters.
An Iraqi mediator announced earlier Friday that Ahmad had surrendered in the northern city of Mosul, and Centcom said it would continue to chase down former members of Saddam's regime that was ousted in April.
But Saddam himself remains at large, and the manhunt took on added urgency after a purported audiotaped message of defiance by him apparently triggered a series of attacks on US forces a day after its release Wednesday.
"Every day we are looking for him," Krivo said.
"All I can say is that with the help of the Iraqi people and the international community, we will find him". – Sapa-AFP.
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