Saddam’s reign is over, says British commander

THE commander of the British forces in the Gulf yesterday said Saddam Hussein’s regime was “finished” in Basra following their troops’ “historic” action in the city.

However, Air Marshal Brian Burridge also told a military briefing in Qatar there would be "difficult days" ahead as some paramilitary resistance remained.

Large parts of Basra were in British hands but troops were still trying to bring Iraq's second city under complete control amid looting and sporadic fighting. At least 500 elite soldiers from The Parachute Regiment were yesterday sent in to Basra to clear out paramilitaries and fedayeen fighters. The presidential palace of Saddam Hussein in Basra fell to advancing British troops as they consolidated their hold on Iraq's second city.