Dozens of US troops raided homes near Tikrit’s infamous “RPG Alley” today and arrested five men thought to be involved in bankrolling attacks against American troops in Saddam Hussein’s home town.

Baghdad

TWO US soldiers were killed in separate attacks in Baghdad and a city to the west, the military reported yesterday. A third was reported to have died of a non-hostile gunshot wound in a separate incident.

AMERICAN soldiers were attacked in broad daylight in the centre of Baghdad yesterday when a grenade was dropped into their vehicle from a bridge.

American soldiers were attacked in broad daylight in the centre of Baghdad today with witnesses saying two were killed when a grenade was dropped into their vehicle from a bridge.

A CLOSE associate of Saddam Hussein was quoted yesterday as saying that the deposed president was safe in Iraq, preparing to organise resistance to US-led occupation forces.

US Marines battled snipers outside a hotel in central Baghdad today, while calm appeared to return to other parts of the Iraqi capital.

US forces say they have a sample of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s DNA as they try to crack the mystery of his whereabouts.

AFTER a two-week siege, British tanks shot their way into the centre of Basra yesterday in a bid to stamp out dogged resistance in Iraq’s second city from paramilitary fighters loyal to President Saddam Hussein.

United States ground forces made a bold daytime raid into the Iraqi capital today as other coalition troops moved in from the south to test the strength of President Saddam Hussein’s defenders, who are believed to have fallen back for an urban battle, officials said.

US Army tanks rumbled into Baghdad early today for the first time while columns of armoured vehicles began encircling the city.

SADDAM HUSSEIN’S Republican Guards were headed on a collision course with American forces south of Baghdad last night in the first sign of an Iraqi offensive out of the capital.

IRAQI forces executed some of the US troops captured in Nasiriyah in front of local people, military officials said yesterday. Seven army mechanics died and five were taken prisoner on Sunday after they took a wrong turn and ran into an ambush.

The Pentagon is adjusting its tactics for the war in Iraq after US commanders on the ground said they were surprised by the resistance put up by Saddam Hussein’s paramilitaries.

“WE let them go for a walk in the desert, but all our towns will resist.”

BAGHDAD came under new bombardment last night. The intense sandstorm which has blanketed the city made it impossible to determine where the latest air strikes were hitting. There were no air raid alerts before the attack began.

ABOUT 20 of Saddam Hussein’s henchmen were killed and a key party official captured in a daring night-time raid by British forces in southern Iraq.

ALLIED forces in southern Iraq were placed on high alert yesterday after reports that the Fedayeen, Saddam Hussein’s ultra-loyal brigade of martyrs is operating in the area.

Iraqi forces have turned their fire on a popular uprising by civilians in Basra, it was reported tonight.

FIERCE Iraqi resistance — including attacks

Helicopters have begun attacking Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard forces arrayed around Baghdad, a Pentagon official said tonight.

US-led coalition forces are making “rapid and in some cases dramatic” progress in Iraq but have also met sporadic resistance, US General Tommy Franks said today.

Clouds of thick smoke hung over Baghdad this morning as a series of explosions sounded in the distance and US troops advanced to within 150 miles of the city.

Iraqi troops may be too scared of Saddam Hussein to abandon him and surrender to advancing American and British forces.