A purported al Qaida leader in Pakistan says the terror network is losing land and fighters amid a US drone strike campaign. Ustadh Ahmad Farooq's comments were reported late Wednesday by SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks militant propaganda.
The rare admission of weakness comes as the US has escalated the missile strikes against militants in Pakistan's tribal belt. President Barack Obama said this week al Qaida faces more pressure in Pakistan than any point since the September 11 attacks. SITE describes Farooq as al Qaida's Pakistan media chief. It says he spoke of challenges facing al Qaida in an audio lecture to jihadi forums earlier in January, urging followers to keep faith in God during crises. The recording's authenticity could not be independently verified.