BAGHDAD - A statement signed by the group of Al-Qaeda frontman in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was distributed outside a Sunni mosque in Baghdad after Friday prayers.
The leaflet was handed out in broad daylight by unmasked men outside the Abu Hanifa mosque, the most influential Sunni mosque in Baghdad, an AFP correspondent reported.
The statement, whose authenticity could not be verified, offered Zarqawi's version of the ongoing battle between his militants and US troops in the western region of Al-Qaim, near the Syrian border.
The leaflet denounced an alliances between "the troops of the crusaders, the Rafidha (Shiites) and the Jews" and claimed that US marines had failed to enter the city of Al-Qaim five days after launching their offensive.
"Operation Matador", which kicked off on May 7, is the largest US military push against insurgents since the massive assault on Fallujah last November. It is aimed at cutting the Zarqawi network's supply of arms and foreign fighters.
The statement also says "our brothers fighting in Al-Qaim killed 40 crusaders, destroyed 15 of their vehicles and shot down six helicopters."
The US military has only reported five casualties since the start of the operation and denied reports of combat gunships being shot down.
05/13/2005 11:35 GMT