Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida-linked militant who led a bloody campaign of suicide bombings, kidnappings and hostage beheadings in Iraq, has been killed in a US air raid north of Baghdad.

A man claiming to be a senior al Qaida figure that the US believes is operating in Iraq has released a tape calling for the country’s Sunni Muslims to fight Shiites and claiming responsibility for high-profile attacks there.