Six people died when an American-held ammunition dump near Baghdad which held 80 Iraqi missiles exploded today, showering nearby homes with warheads, rockets and mortars.

The mysterious tunnels of Iraq are said to stretch for scores of miles under the Iraqi capital, linking palaces, military strongholds and safe houses for leaders, treasure or weapons of mass destruction.

American troops moved to capture Baghdad’s Saddam International Airport as the Iraqi capital came under renewed bombing. Coalition forces occupied around 75% of the sprawling site and initial reports said they met little opposition from Iraqi forces.

American troops battered through Saddam Hussein’s forces south of Baghdad today and were near the international airport, 12 miles from the city centre.

An explosion was heard outside the Gulf headquarters of US Central Command in Qatar today.