WASHINGTON, April 13: President Saddam Hussein’s step brother Watban Ibrahim Hasan was captured by Kurdish forces while attempting to cross the border into Syria, it has been reported.

Several American newspapers carried the report of his capture on Sunday, quoting Kurdish Television.

“Watban Ibrahim Hasan, Saddam’s half-brother, who served as interior minister and in other sensitive positions, was captured today (Saturday) by coalition forces in Rabia,” north-west of Mosul, said KTV, which is run by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Massoud Barzani.

Another of Saddam’s step brother, Barzan al-Takriti, was killed on Friday morning in a US bombing of his farm, in the region of Ramadi, west of Baghdad, a family friend said.