Al-Jazeera television has broadcast what it says is a recent recording of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The Arabic satellite channel said the taped message was dated 14 June, six weeks after US President George W Bush declared major hostilities over. The broadcast comes as the top US official in Iraq, Paul Bremer, announced a 25m US dollar reward for information leading to the capture of Saddam Hussein. Al-Jazeera's chief editor Ibrahim Hilal said the tape was delivered to the station via telephone on Friday. "We don't know the source, or where the call came from. We have no reason to doubt its authenticity," he said. The voice on the audio tape played by al-Jazeera said: "I tell you that I miss you, miss you oh beloved people even though I am among you and in your ranks." He said "jihad cells made up of Iraqi male and female fighters have been formed on a large scale" throughout Iraq to fight US-led coalition forces occupying the country. Meanwhile, US troops have killed today at least 11 Iraqis who ambushed their convoy north of Baghdad, a US military spokesman has said. The Iraqis attacked the convoy near the town of Balad using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, the spokesman said. Only a few hours earlier, 20 US soldiers were injured when mortar bombs were fired at one of the largest US military bases in Iraq, also near Balad. The US is engaged in a big military operation in the area to root out supporters of ousted President Saddam Hussein who have been staging increasingly bold attacks on American forces. Also, on Thursday night, a sniper shot dead a US soldier guarding the Iraqi National Museum in Baghdad. No US troops were injured in the attempted ambush, the US military said. The latest casualties come as Americans celebrate their Independence Day with polls showing public scepticism about the pace of post-war reconstruction. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Saddam Hussein, (AFP/INA/File)