Six suspected al Qaeda leaders are dead or in jail, following a joint mission by U.S. and Iraqi troops.

Soldiers carried out the operation in Mosul two weeks ago, but the details are just coming out now.

A U.S. military statement says the suspects led an extortion and assassination ring. They targeted oil companies and small businesses in northern Iraq.

Reuters reports that those killed were identified as the al Qaeda emir of northern Iraq, Khalid Muhammad Hasan Shallub al-Juburi; economic security emir Abu Ahmad al-Afri; and the suspected al Qaeda governor of Mosul, Bashar Khalaf Husyan Ali al-Jaburi.

"Without these individuals in the AQI (al Qaeda in Iraq) network, it is expected that AQI's ability to operate and restructure will be severely hindered," the statement said.