Conflicting reports on capture of key city

COALITION sources claimed last night that Iraq’s second largest city had finally been secured, but Iraqi forces were believed to be still resisting coalition forces.

US and British tank units advanced on Basra yesterday, where Iraqi forces fought back to keep them out of the city.

Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf said three US soldiers had been killed in the fighting for Basra as well as 77 civilians, most of the latter with cluster bombs. There was no independent confirmation troops had died in Basra.