Saddam’s top troops march to fight allies

SADDAM HUSSEIN launched his first major offensive out of Baghdad last night, dispatching his elite Republican Guards to confront American troops in central Iraq.

The offensive came at the end of a day of setbacks for the coalition and heavy casualties on the Iraqi side.

America last night admitted its warplanes were probably responsible for hitting a Baghdad market, killing a reported 14 Iraqi civilians and injuring 30 others.