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Cairo: In a new audiotape attributed to Saddam Hussein and broadcast on Arab satellite station 'Al- Arabiya', the ousted dictator acknowledged the death of his two sons last week.

"Even if Saddam Hussein has 100 children other than Udai and Qusai, Saddam Hussein would offer them the same way," he said on the tape.

The two were killed in a gunfight with US soldiers on July 22.

"Thank God for what he destined for us, and honoured us with their martyrdom for his sake," Saddam said.

The broadcast, monitored in Cairo, was the second tape attributed to Saddam in just over a week.

Saddam began the tape with a verse from the Quran and then paid condolences to Iraqis for the deaths of his sons.

But he also said the deaths were "good news, that is the hope of every fighter for God's sake, as another group of noble souls of the martyrs have ascended to their creator". He said those killed in the gunfight would be martyrs in heaven.

"Udai, Qusai, and Mustafa died in 'jihad' field... in a brave battle with the enemy" that lasted for six hours, the voice on the audiotape said. Mustafa is Qusai's teenage son.

Agencies