Baghdad has been hit by further air assaults as coalition security is stepped up in the wake of a suicide attack which killed four American soldiers.

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.

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