The Hindu : Baghdad homes bombed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 01, 2003

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Baghdad homes bombed

Smoke billows from an explosion in the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein's guest palace bombed during a coalition air raid on Monday. — AFP

Baghdad March 31. Six Iraqi civilians were killed and dozens wounded by a U.S.-led coalition bombing in a residential neighbourhood here today. And a low-flying plane launched two missiles that crashed into the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein's Republican palace compound in the capital. The attack was the first such in broad daylight. No anti-aircraft fire was heard.

In southern Iraq, three U.S. troops were wounded, one seriously, when Iraqi soldiers fired at them from a Red Crescent ambulance.

U.S. Marines stormed Shatra north of An Nasiriyah today and searched the key city's southern outskirts block by block to weed out Iraqi resistance in what military sources called a change of tactics.

The decision to raid Shatra and send reinforcements to help the Marines carry out risky searches in An Nasiriyah signalled a shift in policy to secure vital supply lines around the strategic city after Iraqi ambushes. The Marines, who had been heading north towards Kut and Baghdad after storming through An Nasiriya which was under fire from paramilitaries, were diverted back south to raid Shatra, 35 km north of the city, supported by helicopter gunships, tanks and warplanes dropping precision-guided bombs.

Meanwhile, coalition soldiers inched towards Baghdad, capturing or killing paramilitary and Republican Guard defenders.

U.S. troops killed about 100 paramilitary fighters in and around the Shia holy city of Najaf and seized several dozen elite soldiers of the Republican Guard in Hindiyah, south of Baghdad.

The dawn assault on Hindiyah clinched control of the closest known point in the U.S.-led advance on Baghdad, where a battle with the Republican Guard looms. At least 15 Iraqi troops were reported killed in the town on the banks of the Euphrates. Troops had also cleared the towns of Afak, Hajil and Budayr in the region.

A Marine UH-1 Huey helicopter crashed on Sunday at a forward supply and refuelling point in southern Iraq, killing three persons aboard.

The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Naji Sabri, on Monday questioned the legitimacy of the U.S.-led attacks and called on coalition soldiers to surrender.

``America and Britain have no choice but to surrender and withdraw,'' said Mr. Sabri, speaking at a Baghdad press conference. The U.S. military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, also struck a defiant posture.

``There is no future for the regime or anyone that supports it.'' ``Will they fight to the death? Probably. We're seeing that in a number of places,'' he said.

On the 12th day of the war, questions have arisen about the pace and impact of the U.S.-led campaign. Despite claims of success, coalition forces appear to be bogged down in the south where an anticipated uprising by the Shias to welcome U.S. forces has not occurred. Closer to Baghdad, Mr. Hussein's defence appears more resilient than the U.S. war planners had anticipated. — AFP, Reuters, AP

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