US troops enter city's outskirts

American troops battered through Saddam Hussein’s forces south of Baghdad today and were near the international airport, 12 miles from the city centre.

South and west of Baghdad, thousands of US military vehicles were crossing the River Euphrates after fighting through a failed Iraqi attempt to hold the bridge at Musayyib, 35 miles south of the capital.

The bridge had been wired with explosives which were disarmed by American engineers.

Scores of blown up Iraqi vehicles and dozens of dead bodies lined the roads where the Iraqis had built fighting positions.

The dead were in uniform, but it was unclear whether they were Republican Guard or regular army units.

Dozens of Iraqi soldiers surrendered and the US Army was slowly shuttling the prisoners back to the rear.

US military spokesman Capt Frank Thorp in Qatar said the path to Baghdad was becoming clearer as more Republican Guards were defeated and the feared last stand by Saddam’s most loyal troops was not materialising.

“We are getting closer and closer to Baghdad. When we decide to go into Baghdad, we will be in Baghdad within a matter of hours from when we decide to go,” he said.

Another spokesman, US Navy Lt Mark Kitchens, said there were “strong and credible signs” that the Iraqi forces were being overwhelmed and would soon collapse.

South-east of the city, advancing Marines found black combat boots discarded along the road by Iraqi fighters who have taken off their military footwear and changed into robes, hoping to avoid capture as combatants.

The Marines were stopping every vehicle they met along the main road.

Drivers and passengers got out of taxis and cars and stood by the road with their hands in the air.