Iraq's Interior Minister said Thursday his office believes Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was wounded, but doesn't know if he is dead, as Iraqi officials announced a new crackdown on insurgents in the capital.
At least 10 Iraqis died in violence nationwide, including a child. The statement by the Interior Ministry came hours after an Internet statement claimed Iraq's most feared terror group had appointed a fill-in for purportedly wounded leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
The statement, the authenticity of which could not be verified, was quickly denied in another Web site claim disputing Abu Hafs al-Gerni had taken over from al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born head of the al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist group. The conflicting statements follow days of rumors al-Zarqawi was wounded and possibly killed or moved outside Iraq for treatment.
Interior Minister Bayan Jabr said his office believes al-Zarqawi was wounded, but said he did not know how seriously or if he was dead. It was not clear on what evidence Jabr was basing his statement.
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