This news item is mainly about______.

An American commander in Iraq has admitted that most of the Al-Qaeda leaders who were the target of a major U. S. led offensive north of Bagdad have fled. Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops have bee engaged in heavy fighting in the city of Baquba for the last four days. But lieutenant general Rey Odyanno said he believed only lower level Al-Qaeda fighters were now there. Lieutenant general Rey Odyanno said 80% of what he called the upper level Al-Qaeda leaders in the city had already fled. (30)He went on to say that 80% of its lower level figures were still there. But it is a surprising admission. The U. S. military built this offensive involving 10, 000 American and Iraqi troops as a major effort to eliminate Al-Qaeda from Baquba.