BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Iraqi army officer said today that an al-Qaida in Iraq deputy has been jailed south of Baghdad, casting doubt on reports that he was killed and the group's leader was wounded in clashes.

The Interior Ministry spokesman, Brig. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said terror leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, also known as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was wounded and an aide killed Thursday in a clash with Iraqi forces near Balad, north of Baghdad.

Khalaf declined to say how Iraqi forces knew al-Masri had been injured, and deputy Interior Minister Maj. Gen. Hussein Ali Kamal later said he could not confirm the information.

An Iraqi army officer said the aide, identified as Abu Abdullah al-Majemaai, had been detained on Feb. 9 and remained in custody in a jail near Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad.

The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information, said he could not comment on al-Masri's whereabouts.

The U.S. military said it was looking into the reports, which come as American and Iraqi forces have launched a major security crackdown against Sunni insurgents, including al-Qaida in Iraq, as well as Shiite militias.

Khalaf said the clash occurred near Balad, a major U.S. base about 50 miles north of the capital, and identified the dead aide as Abu Abdullah al-Majemaai.