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More explosion, heavy machine gun fire in Baghdad
Baghdad, Apr 05: Heavy machine-gun fire reverberated through the center of Baghdad and a massive explosion shook buildings as US forces tightened their grip around the Iraqi capital.
Baghdad, Apr 05: Heavy machine-gun fire reverberated through the center of Baghdad and a massive explosion shook buildings as US forces tightened their grip around the Iraqi capital.
Flashes from what appeared to be machine guns could be seen from the southern end of the presidential old palace complex on the West Bank of the Tigris river late yesterday
Hours later, artillery shells dropped on the outskirts of the city, and more explosions were heard intermittently around 2:45 am today (0435 IST).
Earlier in the day, with us troops in control of the international airport southwest of the city, Baghdadis fled the capital by the tens of thousands.
President Saddam Hussein, in an unannounced TV broadcast, urged Iraqis to fight the invasion. "Strike them forcefully. Strike them by the force of faith wherever they come close to you. Resist them, oh people of valiant and beautiful Baghdad," he said.
Information Minister Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahhaf promised an "unconventional" response to the US-led attacks and warned of more suicide attacks against foreign troops.
"Tonight we will do something unconventional, not by the military," al-Sahhaf said. We will do something, which I believe is very beautiful. Those remaining soldiers who did not surrender I don't believe they have a great chance of surviving."
Asked whether "unconventional" meant the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, he replied: "no. That's not what I said what I meant are commando and martyrdom (suicide) operations in a very new, creative way." Also yesterday, Arab Television networks aired footage of Saddam walking among excited Baghdadis cheering, "with our blood and souls we redeem you, Saddam."
Saddam, dressed in a green-olive military uniform and wearing a beret, smiled and shook hands, kissed a baby and waved.
The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite network said the tape was made yesterday. It was taken in daylight but not broadcast until after nightfall.
Meanwhile, Baghdadis packed food and belongings into trucks, buses and cars in a mass exodus from the city's northern and northeastern districts. Some left town on horse-drawn carts piled high with passengers and personal belongings. The lines out of the town stretched as much as 10 kilometers toward the province of Diala, northeast of the capital.
Health Minister Omeed Medhat Mubarak said hospitals in the capital were swamped with wounded.
At Al-Yarmouk hospital, doctors and nurses scrambled to cope with the rush of casualties including civilians and soldiers from the republican guard. The injured could be heard crying in pain. Those too weak to talk pointed to their bloodied bandages and wounds. "The aggression is not differentiating between civilians and military," Mubarak said.
Some of the injured at Al-Yarmouk said they were from the Furat and Al-Radwaniyah districts, both close to the airport. People at the hospital said dozens had been killed in the two districts, but that could not be confirmed.
Generators allowed the hospitals to operate despite a power outage that has lasted more than a day. US Military officials claim they did not target Baghdad's power grid. Some parts of the city of 5 million had no running water.
The government urged Baghdadis to turn on their generators.
At a sandbagged sentry post in the capital, one guard owed to resist any US assault.
"We have given allegiance to our leader Saddam Hussein that we will be faithful soldiers," said Abdul Wahid Hidawi. "All they have to do is come to Baghdad to face the real Iraqis and, god willing we will make of them an example to others."
Bureau Report
Hours later, artillery shells dropped on the outskirts of the city, and more explosions were heard intermittently around 2:45 am today (0435 IST).
Earlier in the day, with us troops in control of the international airport southwest of the city, Baghdadis fled the capital by the tens of thousands.
President Saddam Hussein, in an unannounced TV broadcast, urged Iraqis to fight the invasion. "Strike them forcefully. Strike them by the force of faith wherever they come close to you. Resist them, oh people of valiant and beautiful Baghdad," he said.
Information Minister Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahhaf promised an "unconventional" response to the US-led attacks and warned of more suicide attacks against foreign troops.
"Tonight we will do something unconventional, not by the military," al-Sahhaf said. We will do something, which I believe is very beautiful. Those remaining soldiers who did not surrender I don't believe they have a great chance of surviving."
Asked whether "unconventional" meant the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, he replied: "no. That's not what I said what I meant are commando and martyrdom (suicide) operations in a very new, creative way." Also yesterday, Arab Television networks aired footage of Saddam walking among excited Baghdadis cheering, "with our blood and souls we redeem you, Saddam."
Saddam, dressed in a green-olive military uniform and wearing a beret, smiled and shook hands, kissed a baby and waved.
The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite network said the tape was made yesterday. It was taken in daylight but not broadcast until after nightfall.
Meanwhile, Baghdadis packed food and belongings into trucks, buses and cars in a mass exodus from the city's northern and northeastern districts. Some left town on horse-drawn carts piled high with passengers and personal belongings. The lines out of the town stretched as much as 10 kilometers toward the province of Diala, northeast of the capital.
Health Minister Omeed Medhat Mubarak said hospitals in the capital were swamped with wounded.
At Al-Yarmouk hospital, doctors and nurses scrambled to cope with the rush of casualties including civilians and soldiers from the republican guard. The injured could be heard crying in pain. Those too weak to talk pointed to their bloodied bandages and wounds. "The aggression is not differentiating between civilians and military," Mubarak said.
Some of the injured at Al-Yarmouk said they were from the Furat and Al-Radwaniyah districts, both close to the airport. People at the hospital said dozens had been killed in the two districts, but that could not be confirmed.
Generators allowed the hospitals to operate despite a power outage that has lasted more than a day. US Military officials claim they did not target Baghdad's power grid. Some parts of the city of 5 million had no running water.
The government urged Baghdadis to turn on their generators.
At a sandbagged sentry post in the capital, one guard owed to resist any US assault.
"We have given allegiance to our leader Saddam Hussein that we will be faithful soldiers," said Abdul Wahid Hidawi. "All they have to do is come to Baghdad to face the real Iraqis and, god willing we will make of them an example to others."
Bureau Report