IRAQ-CONFLICT: Cities come under heavy bombing

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Att.Editors: The following item is from the Qatar News Agency (QNA)

BAGHDAD, Mar 27 2003 (IPS) - Iraqi capital Baghdad came under coalition heavy bombardment in the past few hours where big explosions echoed throughout the capital.

Al Jazeerah satellite TV channel correspondent in the Iraqi capital said the bombing by US fighters targeted central Baghdad while other allied missiles rocked outskirts of the Iraqi capital.

Al Jazeerah correspondent further said fierce battles are now raging near An-Najaf between the US-British forces and the Baath Party militias and tribesmen there.

Meanwhile in Mosul, northern Iraq, Al Jazeerah TV correspondent said the city was subjected to two air strikes last night while Basra came under heavy bombing which forced the population into shelters.

An estimated 100 Iraqi tanks left Basra, heading southward toward the city of Faw, and clashed with 120 coalition forces tanks.

Meanwhile, a Pentagon official said about 1,000 US paratroopers landed in a Kurdish-controlled area in northern Iraq and seized an important airfield. The officials did not elaborate on a precise place of landing.