ISLAMABAD: A purported al Qaeda leader in Pakistan said the terror network was losing land and fighters amid a US drone strike campaign.

Ustadh Ahmad Farooq's comments were reported late Wednesday by SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks militant propaganda.

The rare admission of weakness comes as the US has escalated the missile strikes against militants in Pakistan's tribal belt.

US President Barack Obama said this week al Qaeda faces more pressure in Pakistan than any point since the September 11 attacks.

SITE described Farooq as al Qaeda's Pakistan media chief. It said he spoke of challenges facing al Qaeda in an audio lecture to extremist forums earlier in January, urging followers to keep faith in God during crises.

The recording's authenticity could not be independently verified.