In a statement interior ministry spokesman colonel Adnan Abdul-Rahman said, “Hussein Ali was shot dead as he left his home in southern Baghdad’s Qadissiya district to go to work.”

According to government spokesman Assim Jihad, “[Hussein] did not care about the threats many of the ministry officials received. He is great loss to the oil sector.”

“They are trying to undermine this vital sector in the country,” added Assim referring to the guerrillas.