Baghdad, Iraq ? The U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, weeping and veiled, appeared on a new videotape aired Monday by Al-Jazeera, and the Arab television station said she appealed for the release of all Iraqi women prisoners.

The video was dated Saturday – two days after the U.S. military released five Iraqi women from custody.

Carroll, 28, was crying and wore a conservative Islamic veil as she spoke to the camera, sitting in front of a yellow and black tapestry. The Al-Jazeera newscaster said she appealed for U.S. and Iraqi authorities to free all women prisoners to help “in winning her release.”

At one point, Carroll’s cracking voice can be heard from behind the newsreader. All that can be heard is Carroll saying, “… hope for the families …”

The U.S. military released the women last Thursday and was believed to be holding about six more. It was unclear how many women were held by Iraqi authorities.

Carroll, a freelance reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, was seized Jan. 7 by the previously unknown Revenge Brigades, which threatened to kill her unless all women prisoners were released. Al-Jazeera did not report any deadline or threat to kill her Monday.

Arab news network Al-Jazeera aired a new videotape Monday of kidnapped U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, showing her wearing an Islamic veil and weeping as she speaks to the camera, purportedly appealing for the release of female Iraqi prisoners. Al-Jazeera did not report that any deadline was set in the video or that it included a threat to kill Carroll.

Al-Jazeera editor Yasser Thabit said the station received the tape Monday and that it was between two to three minutes long, but only a fraction of the footage was telecast.

In a statement, the Monitor again appealed for her release.

“Anyone with a heart will feel distressed that an innocent woman like Jill Carroll would be treated in the manner shown in the latest video aired by Al-Jazeera,” the statement said. “We add our voice to those of Arabs around the world, and especially to those in Iraq, who have condemned this act of kidnapping. We ask that she be returned to the protection of her family immediately.”

U.S. troops clashed throughout the day with insurgents west of Baghdad. Iraqi police launched a new raid in a Sunni Arab-dominated part of the capital, despite Sunni calls to halt such operations during talks to form a new government.

The clashes west of Baghdad occurred in Ramadi, capital of the insurgent-ridden Anbar province, and began when gunmen fired at least five rocket-propelled grenade rounds and rifles at U.S. Army soldiers, a military spokesman said.

“The soldiers returned fire and called in a jet nearby to attack the insurgents’ position with their main gun,” Marine Capt. Jeffrey S. Pool said. Two insurgents were killed, but there were no U.S. casualties, he added.

U.S. troops later called in an airstrike against insurgents holed up at the Ramadi sports stadium, raising a column of smoke, residents said.

In Baghdad, Iraqi Interior Ministry commandoes searched the notorious Dora neighborhood, a largely Sunni Arab district and scene of frequent bombings and killings. More than 80 suspects were arrested, according to Maj. Faleh al-Mohammedawi.