Key developments in the Iraq war

:: British officers said a “couple of thousand” Iraqi civilians tried to flee Basra, which is encircled by British troops, but were forced to return when Iraqi paramilitary forces opened fire with mortars and machine guns.

:: Two “bunker-buster” bombs were dropped on a communications tower in Baghdad during an intense US bombardment aimed at cutting off Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s commanders from Iraqi forces. They were the biggest bombs dropped on Baghdad so far.

:: US marines and Iraqi forces exchanged tank and artillery fire in the strategic southern city of Nasiriyah. Several buildings, including the power plant, were on fire. A marine was killed in a battle at a cement plant in southern Iraq

:: With a new front opened by paratroopers in the north, US forces are now poised to move on Baghdad from several directions. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said US forces might lay siege to Baghdad in hopes citizens will rise up against the government before American troops have to invade the city of five million.

:: Iraq’s defence minister said the Iraqi military will prolong street fighting in Baghdad to make coalition fighters pay a price when they enter the capital.

:: The Allies said they have taken more than 4,000 prisoners of war. But US commanders said they were worried that some Iraqi soldiers who had been allowed to return to their homes in Basra are being forced back into service by paramilitary units loyal to Saddam.

:: Prime Minister Tony Blair said unseating Saddam will be “tough and difficult”.

:: Pentagon officials said about 90,000 US troops were in Iraq, with 100,000 to 120,000 more on the way. Some will be deployed in northern Iraq, where US objectives include seizing the valuable oil fields near the city of Kirkuk.

:: US President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged to keep their forces in Iraq however long it takes to overthrow Saddam Hussein. They said the UN could help rebuild post-war Iraq, but left uncertain who would create and run a new government.

:: John Negroponte, US ambassador to the United Nations, walked out of a debate on the Iraqi war last night after Iraq’s ambassador accused Washington of planning the military assault for years. The 15 council members agreed on a draft resolution allowing UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to take control of some aspects of the oil-for-food humanitarian programme for 45 days.