The Hindu : Coalition forces keep up assault on Baghdad

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 31, 2003

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Coalition forces keep up assault on Baghdad

Iraqis carry an injured employee from the al-Salhiya telecommunications centre after it was hit by a missile during a coalition air raid on Baghdad on Sunday. The raid took place as journalists were on a tour organised by the Information Ministry. — AFP

Baghdad March 30. Massive explosions rocked Baghdad again this afternoon as U.S. and British warplanes kept up their air assault on the Iraqi capital and its surroundings. U.S. armoured units massed south of Baghdad were finalising plans for a decisive thrust towards the capital within a week.

In Kuwait, a man in civilian clothes drove a pickup truck into a group of soldiers standing outside a store at the desert base of Camp Udairi today, injuring six, even as an official in southern Iraq said 4,000 Arab volunteers had arrived in Iraq, eager to carry out suicide attacks against the U.S. and British forces.

British officers in southern Iraq said a general from the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein's army had been captured and was being pressed to provide strategic information.

An extremely loud series of blasts was heard coming from the southern edge of Baghdad and the roar of the numerous warplanes could be heard from the ground. Iraqi anti-aircraft gunners did not open fire.

The coalition says that in addition to the Information Ministry, communications and phone centres, paramilitary training grounds and other key regime sites in Baghdad, it has been bombing Republican Guard formations outside the city.

The 20,000-strong Third Infantry Division, the heavy armoured force spearheading the invasion, has concentrated near the Euphrates valley town of Najaf, 150 km south of Baghdad, where many of its troops have been waiting for a week. "We are finalising plans for a continued move towards Baghdad," Major John Altman, intelligence officer for the division's First Brigade, said adding that he expected it to begin "within a week". Maj. Altman declined to go into the specifics of the plan, such as the routes the U.S. troops would take.

But coalition warplanes were already softening up Iraqi positions in preparation for the long-awaited offensive even as ground forces tightened up security procedures after a suicide bombing against U.S. troops on Saturday, he said.

`Beginning of jehad'

The Iraqi Information Minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, contended at a briefing on Sunday that several Iraqi civilians had been shot dead in their cars by coalition soldiers to wreak vengeance for the suicide attack.

Lt. Gen. Hazem al-Rawi, a senior Iraqi defence official, said the suicide attack marked "the beginning of a long path of jehad for Iraqis and Arabs against the invaders."

Iraq's state television reported that the Najaf suicide bomber — identified as Ali Jaafar al-Noamani, a non-commissioned officer having several children — was posthumously promoted as colonel and awarded two medals by Mr. Hussein. His family was reportedly awarded the equivalent of $34,000.

Iraq's Vice-President, Taha Yassin Ramadan, indicated that the attack was part of a coordinated effort to thwart the invasion force and he raised the spectre of terrorism on U.S. or British soil. "The day will come when a single martyrdom operation will kill 5,000 enemies," Mr. Ramadan said. "We will use any means to kill our enemy in our land and we will follow the enemy into its land. This is just the beginning."

Residents in Basra, Iraq's second largest city, said Mr. Hussein's grip remained as tight as ever over a week into a virtual siege there by U.S. and British troops. "Nothing has really changed in Basra. The Government is in full control. They still completely rule," said Abu Jawad, standing near British tanks at a checkpoint outside the southern city. "People see this as an occupation. If the Government gives us weapons, we will fight the Americans and the British,'' he said.

Basra, home to around 1.5 million people, has been bombed by fighter planes and come under shell fire since the U.S. and British troops invaded Iraq 11 days ago to topple Mr. Hussein.

The attacks appear only to be enraging civilians, who are rallying around the Iraqi President even though they live in fear of his secret police.

Western tanks today controlled roads around the city but had not penetrated the centre where, residents say, life goes on as normal under the firm rule of Saddam loyalists.

According to the inhabitants, police are deployed throughout the urban area and traffic police keep cars flowing as clouds of smoke drift over the city, shells explode and gunfire crackles. Even some restaurants remain open, serving fish and lamb in this city overlooking the green water flowing from the Shatt al-Arab waterway. The ruling Baath party headquarters has been shelled but Mr. Hussein's supporters have resumed their activities in other buildings.— AFP, Reuters, AP

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