Saddam’s former lieutenant Ezzat Ibrahim al-Douri - one of America’s 55 most wanted men - had been at large in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.
Al-Douri - who headed the Iraqi uprising against the new Shia Muslim leadership and had a £6m bounty on his head - was shot dead this week along with his nine bodyguards.
The men died when security forces opened fire on their convoy as they drove east of al-Douri’s home town of Tikrit, where Saddam’s family are from.
As Saddam’s miitary number two shadowy al-Douri, 63, was known as “the King of Clubs” when a string of the Iraqi dictators lieutenants were given playing card ‘wanted’ rankings.
He went missing as US forces stormed Baghdad in 2003 and had remained on the run ever since.
Al-Douri was judged the sixth most wanted out of Saddam’s henchmen and featured as the King of Clubs in playing cards handed out to US forces to identify Iraq’s inner-circle.
He also played a major role in the gassing to death of 5,000 Kurds in Halabja in 1988 as Iraq’s commander of the north, where the stricken town is situated.
Yesterday al-Arabiya TV showed a photo of a dead man who looked like al-Douri also believed to be connected to the insurgency waged by the Islamic State and former Baath Party figures against the current Shia-led government.
Baghdad has announced al-Douri’s death several times before, but this time photos were circulating showing a man with similar features and red hair like al-Douri’s.
Ruthless al-Douri backed a 1968 coup that brought the Baath party to power. His frail appearance hid a ruthles ness that helped Saddam keep his grip at the top.
He served as vice-president and deputy chairman of Iraq’s powerful Revolutionary Command Council until the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam.
Born in 1942, he did not finish high school or do military training, but Saddam made him deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces with the rank of lieutenant general.
Yesterday senior regional commander, General Haider al-Basri, confirmed to Iraqi state TV that al-Douri and nine bodyguards were killed by gunshots while riding in a convoy.
DNA tests are under way to confirm the identity of the body.
