DUBAI, Dec 7: The Saudi branch of Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for Monday's attack on the US consulate in Jeddah, stating that some assailants had managed to flee after 'the operation'.

"Your brothers of the squadron of the martyr Abu Annas al-Shami stormed one of the bastions of the American crusaders in the Arabian peninsula, in Jeddah," said the statement posted on a website.

"They were able to withdraw from the consulate and reach a safe place, after losing two martyrs who covered the retreat of the mujahideen, three of whom were wounded and are being treated. Your brothers managed to kill nine people in the consulate, including two Americans and seven soldiers of the tyrannical (Saudi) regime, and wounded dozens more," it said.

The assailants had seized "telecommunications machines, light arms, sophisticated electronic equipment and important documents," Al Qaeda said, promising to release details of what it called 'Operation Conquest of Fallujah'.

"This operation is one of the series of operations carried out by the Al Qaeda organization in their war against the crusaders and the Jews to chase the infidels out of the Arabian peninsula," the group said, adding that "the mujahideen are determined to pursue their fight." -AFP