Saddam sons killed by 10 anti-tank missiles

Saddam Hussein’s sons Uday and Qusay were killed by 10 anti-tank missiles when they returned US calls to surrender with small arms fire, the US commander of Allied troops in Iraq said today.

Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez said an interpreter used a loudspeaker to call on the men to come out peacefully. When that failed, US troops who stormed the building were repulsed from the palatial villa twice by AK-47 automatic rifle fire.

Helicopters then launched missiles at the house and more heavy weaponry was called in.

Gen Sanchez said he believed 10 anti-tank Tow missiles fired from Humvees killed the former dictator’s sons.

“Our mission is to find, kill or capture,” Sanchez said in Baghdad, in response to questions about why the brothers were not taken alive.

He also announced the capture today of Saddam’s cousin, number 11 on the US Most Wanted list, who was commander of the Special Republican Guard.