The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been killed, according to unconfirmed reports, CNN said on Tuesday.

Al-Masri, who succeeded Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as the organisation's top man in war-torn Iraq, has reportedly been killed in a clash with another militant group, but identification is impossible before the Iraqi security forces retrieve the body, officials said.

Al-Qaeda claimed or has been blamed for a number of attacks in Iraq, but if the reports on the manner of al-Masri's death are confirmed, it would constitute the most high-profile confirmation of the tensions between the group and other Sunni militants, BBC said.

The clash was reportedly in the northern part of Baghdad, but the loss of its leader is unlikely to persuade a largely decentralised al-Qaeda to step down its attacks.

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