US forces today launched a massive operation in Iraq to crush insurgents and capture senior figures from Saddam Hussein’s fallen regime.

THOUSANDS of residents were fleeing Baghdad in a stream of bumper-to-bumper vehicles yesterday, after US troops seized the city’s Saddam International Airport.

Thousands of Iraqi’s today ignored Saddam Hussein’s exaltations to stay and fight and were fleeing Baghdad in a stream of bumper-to-bumper vehicles after US troops seized the capital’s airport.