Baghdad , Iraq ( CNN ) Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri , a former top deputy to Saddam Hussein and more recently a key figure in Sunni extremist groups battling the Iraqi government , has been killed in a security operation in that country , Iraqi state-run television reported Friday . Al-Douri was the highest-ranking member of Hussein 's regime to evade capture -- the `` King of Clubs '' in a deck of playing cards used by American troops to identify the most-wanted regime officials . He also was a man thought to have led the post-Hussein Sunni extremist group Naqshbandi Army . Military analysis website Globalsecurity.org says the Naqshbandi Army supports ISIS , which has taken over parts of Iraq and Syria . Al-Douri was killed in an operation by Iraqi security forces and Shia militia members in the Hamrin Mountains between Tikrit and Kirkuk , Iraq , Shia militia commander Hadi al-Ameri said . That militia is a predominantly Shiite fighting group that worked with Iraqi troops earlier this month to liberate the Iraqi city of Tikrit from ISIS . The death of al-Douri was also reported by the governor of Salahuddin province , Raid al-Jubouri , who spoke by phone on Iraqi television . Al-Douri 's body arrived Friday in Baghdad , where DNA samples were taken to confirm the identity , said the spokesman of another Shiite militia called Hashd Shaabi in an interview with state-run Iraqiya TV . DNA test results could be available in 48 hours , Hashd Shaabi spokesman Yousuf al-Kilabi told the outlet . The U.S. military is aware of the media reports but does n't have further information to evaluate them , said Col. Patrick Ryder , spokesman for U.S. Central Command . While officials are aware of al-Douri 's role in the Hussein regime , Ryder declined to comment about whether the United States or the coalition was targeting any specific individuals . Al-Douri was a military commander and vice chairman of the country 's revolutionary command council in Hussein 's Sunni-dominated regime -- effectively Hussein 's No . 2 man . Hussein 's regime fell during a U.S.-led invasion in 2003 . The U.S. military had said that after the Iraqi leader 's fall , al-Douri helped finance a Sunni insurgency with money he transferred to Syria before the government collapsed . A month before the invasion , al-Douri presided over a military parade in Mosul , an event covered by CNN , and his participation became one of the last times he was seen in public , covered by CNN . Al-Douri saluted troops from the reviewing stand as they marched by . Then , just days before the U.S. invasion , al-Douri addressed an emergency summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to discuss ultimately unsuccessful ways to avert the war . Al-Douri accused the United States of aggression and blamed Kuwait for his country 's suffering , calling leaders of the neighboring Gulf state `` traitors '' for cooperating with the United States and Israel . That comment prompted the Kuwaiti representative to stand up and protest , to which al-Douri countered , `` Shut up , sit down you small agent [ of the U.S. ] , you monkey ! '' Kuwaiti television cut away from the heated exchange and rejoined the conference later . Al-Douri 's efforts were all in vain . The United States invaded Iraq on March 19 , 2003 , ousting Hussein , al-Douri and the entire regime . In subsequent years , several claims asserted that al-Douri was either killed or captured during the war and its aftermath . At the same time , a man claiming to be al-Douri released a number of audio messages over the years taunting Iraqi and U.S. officials . In 2012 , a series of videos appeared online purporting to show al-Douri deriding the Shiite-led government that took over Iraq after Hussein 's ouster . CNN could n't independently verify the authenticity of those videos on YouTube or the identity of the man speaking , though he bore a striking resemblance to al-Douri . In the clips , the man who claimed to be al-Douri wore an olive military uniform and sat behind a desk with an Iraqi flag in the background . He derided Iraq 's Shiite-dominated government , led by then-Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki , as well as what he described as meddling by neighboring Iran . Al-Maliki 's Dawa party , says al-Douri , `` has announced Iraq as the Shiite capital . '' At that time , nine years had passed since the invasion and , al-Douri claimed that Iraq was still in peril . `` Everyone can hear the sounds of danger echoing daily and threatening the country , '' he said . The videos were posted on what was the 65th anniversary of the Arab Socialist Baath Party , a political party founded in Syria that later provided the political basis for Hussein 's now outlawed Baath Party . CNN 's Hamdi Alkhshali reported from Baghdad . CNN 's Jason Hanna wrote from Atlanta and Michael Martinez from Los Angeles . CNN 's Jamie Crawford contributed from Washington , D.C .
the military does n't have further evidence to evaluate the Iraqi media coverage . Al - Douri 's body arrives in Baghdad where forensic samples are taken . Izzat bin al - din was the highest - ranking official of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 's regime to evade capture .