A senior official of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) confirmed to Xinhua Tuesday that former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan has been in the custody of US forces. 

The Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV channel reported earlier that Ramadan was captured by PUK fighters in the northern city of Mosulon Monday and handed over to the US forces.

Ramadan was caught at 3:00 p.m. (1100 GMT) on Monday, said the Arab language Channel, adding that he was wearing nomadic Bedouin clothes when spotted.

Adel Murad, the top press officer of PUK, confirmed the arrest to Xinhua.

Ramadan ranks the 20th on the list of most wanted 55 former Iraqi officials.

He is represented as the 10 of diamonds in the deck of "playing cards" issued by the United States. 

Up to now 38 of the 55 most wanted figures have been confirmed captured, surrendered or killed, with ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein still at large and his two sons, Uday and Qusay, killed on July 22.

Former Iraqi Interior Minister Mahmoud Diyab al-Ahmed, who ranks 29th on the most wanted list, was confirmed detained by the coalition forces on Aug. 9.

He surrendered himself to coalition forces the day before, said the US military.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2003)