"After the information according to which I was seriously wounded, I want to reassure you that all this is pure rumour and totally unfoun-ded," it said.

It was not possible to verify whether the voice was Zarqawi's.

Reports that Zarqawi had been wounded in fighting were posted on a militant website last week.

Several internet postings in recent days have given conflicting updates on Zarqawi's health - some saying he was wounded and had passed command to a deputy, others that he was unhurt and was leading the resistance in Iraq.