Clouds of thick smoke hung over Baghdad this morning as a series of explosionssounded in the distance and US troops advanced to within 150 miles of the city.
The explosions appeared to come from the outskirts of the capital. At least some of the smokecame from fires that residents said were set to conceal targets in the city.
Iraqi information minister Mr Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf said 503 people wereinjured in air strikes yesterday, including 106 in Baghdad and 366 in thesouthern city of Basra. He also said 77 civilians were killed in Basra, whereallied forces captured the airport and a key bridge.
Iraqi state television reported that air strikes also hit the city of Tikrit,Saddam Hussein's hometown.
Al-Arabiya, the Arab satellite television news channel, reported that fourpeople were killed in those attacks.
Allied troops raced through the desert more than halfway to Baghdad, andAmerican commanders said Saddam's regime was losing control. But Iraqi officialsinsisted their situation was brighter.
Mr Al-Sahhaf praised what he described as heroic resistance by Iraqis in thesouthern port town of Umm Qasr, where allied forces engaged in street-to-streetfighting against guerrillas, including members of Saddam Hussein's Fedayeen, theBaath Party paramilitary organisation.
The battle was broadcast live on television worldwide.
US and British forces have been trying to take full control of the only Iraqideep-water port for the past two days, and they called in air strikes on theIraqi resistance during today's firefight.
PA