US troops holding positions in the western half of Baghdad today began an assault on Iraqi units guarding a crossing to the east.
Heavy machine-gunfire and the buzz of aircraft broke the silence of an uncharacteristically quiet night, and silent, yellow flares illuminated a sky even blacker from Baghdad’s power cut.
In a dramatic move, two US Abrams tanks drove to the middle of Jumhuriya bridge, a main Baghdad artery, and opened fire before reversing and taking up a position on its western end.
Areas of western Baghdad not held by US troops — who were mainly based in an area around a presidential palace compound seized yesterday — came under air and artillery attack.
Smoke and fires were seen pouring from the area around the Information Ministry, and US tanks later moved towards government buildings in central Iraq.
US forces were estimated to have moved two miles since dawn, taking them into the nerve centre of Saddam Hussein’s administration housing most of Iraq’s ministries and other official buildings.
In the eastern edge of the city, US marines spent the night scouring foxholes, trenches and what appeared to be bunkers dug under roads to make sure the area was area was free of Iraqi soldiers.
Saddam targeted in bombing raid
US central command in Qatar today revealed it bombed an upmarket residential area of Baghdad yesterday where President Saddam and his aides were believed to be meeting.
At least three buildings were destroyed in the attack on the district of al-Mansour in western Baghdad, which blasted an18-metre-deep crater, ripped orange trees from their roots and left a heap of concrete, mangled iron rods and shredded furniture and clothes.
Rescue workers looking in the rubble for victims said two bodies had been recovered and the death toll could be as high as 14.
Residents standing around the rubble said shrapnel killed victims as far as 200 metres away.
A single B-1B bomber dropped four ”bunker-busting” bombs on the district after US military intelligence received a tip off that President Saddam, his sons Uday and Qusay and other Iraqi leaders might be meeting there, US military officials said.
”A leadership target was hit very hard,” said Marine Major Brad Bartelt.
He said he could not comment on casualties or say how long it would take to determine the damage.
Those close to President Saddam have said the Iraqi leader is so obsessed with security that very few people would know about his movements. He maintains dozens of residences and uses doubles to keep people guessing.
Cameraman killed as al-Jazeera office bombed
An al-Jazeera cameraman has died and another of the Arabic-language news channel’s journalists is missing after a coalition bombing raid hit its Baghdad office.
The office of another Arabic news network, Abu Dhabi TV, wa also hit, according to reports on the BBC and al-Jazeera.
Al-Jazeera cameraman Tareq Ayoub died from injuries sustained in the attack, the channel announced today.
The Qatar-based station described him as ”martyr of duty” and a ”dear and loyal colleague”.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s domestic state television today went off the air in Baghdad.
Earlier, it had failed to broadcast a morning news bulletin and instead showed only old footage of President Saddam being cheered at rallies and played patriotic songs. – Guardian Unlimited Â