New audio purportedly from Saddam's ex-deputy, who was declared dead

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a right-hand man of Saddam Hussein who was reported killed last month, has purportedly released a new audio message.

Al-Douri, who was pictured as the King of Clubs in the infamous US deck of cards of most-wanted Iraqis, apparently talks about the latest developments in Iraq to prove that he is alive.

Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi militants claimed last month that al-Douri was killed by the group’s fighters in a military operation in the town of Alam near the newly-liberated city of Tikrit.

Following claims of al-Douri’s death, Iraq’s Ministry of Health said it did not have the means to determine whether the remains were really those of al-Douri. 

Al-Douri is believed to have been heavily involved in the long-running Sunni insurgency against the Shiite-led government of Iraq.  

“Those tribal militias called Hashd al-Shaabi, who are following a fatwa from Iran’s Sistani are committing the most awful crimes against civilians,” said the voice on the audio release, speaking about the latest events in Iraq.