A rchive Date
[ 28-03-2003 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Iraq ]
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[http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/Iraq/2003/03/26/50924-ap.html
Baghdad is rocked by the most powerful bombardment since the war began
By HAMZA HENDAWI
Fri, March 28, 2003
BAGHDAD (AP) - Thunderous explosions rocked Baghdad on Friday and a towering column of churning orange smoke rose over the skyline after a break in the weather opened the way for the mightiest bombardment of the Iraqi capital in days.
U.S. warplanes and sea-launched Tomahawk missiles pounded the city in a barrage that included some of the most fearsome weapons in the coalition arsenal: two 2,000-kilogram, satellite-guided "bunker-busting" bombs, dropped by a B-2 stealth bomber on a major communications tower on the Tigris River in downtown Baghdad.
The bombing, which started shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, local time, was aimed at disrupting communications between Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's leadership and his military, U.S. officials said. Air strikes also targeted positions of the Republican Guard - Saddam's best-trained, best-equipped fighters - in a ring outside the city.
The attack gutted a seven-storey telephone exchange building in an area called Al-Alwya, leaving the street strewn with slabs of concrete, irons rods and corrugated metal.
Husein Moeini, telecommunications director of Baghdad, said he believed people were buried beneath the rubble, but journalists who arrived at the scene less than three hours after it was hit did not see a rescue operation under way.
At a second telephone exchange, Al-Rasheed, the 10-storey building was largely intact, except for some broken windows. Next to it, however, was a huge crater in the road where Iraqi officials said a missile apparently lodged without exploding.
Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al Sahaf said the overnight air strikes had killed seven people in Baghdad and wounded 92.
"They hit the ministry of information, ministry of planning, the communications. In these buildings are civilians who go there to do their business," he said. "These buildings are in the city. When they target these buildings, they also hit houses and homes next to these buildings."
The people of Baghdad knew a punishing attack was coming after a two-day sandstorm that had grounded many coalition warplanes gave way to blue skies Thursday.
Powerful explosions continued through the night and after the sun rose, with aircraft swooping low over the city. Anti-aircraft fire was intermittent.
On Friday, gray smoke drifted across the capital from the bombings and from fires started by authorities to conceal targets. Police and ambulance sirens wailed.
Hours before the bombardment, Iraq's defence minister was defiant, insisting the real battle for Baghdad will be a drawn-out fight in the streets of the city of five million.
"The enemy must come inside Baghdad, and that will be its grave," Sultan Hashim Ahmed said. "We feel that this war must be prolonged so the enemy pays a high price."
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, however, suggested American troops might lay siege to the capital rather than invade, in hopes its citizens will rise up against the government.
During the night's bombardment, aircraft and Tomahawk missiles "took out communications and command and control facilities in the capital city," said Lt.-Cmdr. Charles Owens, a spokesman at the command centre in Qatar.
The Arab satellite station Al-Jazeera said Baghdad's main telephone exchange was hit. Still, telephones were working in many parts of the city Friday morning.
Iraq's satellite television channel was cutting in and out after the air strikes. The U.S. forces had hoped to knock out Saddam's propaganda outlets.
Also targeted was a building inside the Old Palace presidential compound on the west bank of the Tigris, which includes a camp of the Republican Guard attacked last week. An explosion about 700 metres west of the Information Ministry sent scores of journalists fleeing.
Witnesses said an unknown number of people were killed and injured in an attack on a housing complex for employees of a weapons-producing facility.
In northern Iraq, the Mosul area was also targeted by strikes Thursday night.
Iraqi state television reported that Saddam chaired a meeting of the ruling Baath Party, his top aides and his son, Qusai. No video was shown, but it was reported that Saddam and the leadership urged Iraqi fighters to exploit the "exhaustion" of coalition forces.
Silent video was shown of another meeting of Saddam, Qusai and other party officials.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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