Information Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf also denied US reports of advances toward Baghdad on two fronts, around Karbala and across the Tigris river to the east.

"They have bombarded some mosques in Najaf and Kabala," he told a press conference in the Iraqi capital.

Sahhaf also accused the coalition of trying to destroy the tombs of imams Ali and Hussein in Najaf and Karbala by sending warplanes screeching low over the holy sites, and warned of a Shiite outcry.

"They are trying to crack the buildings by flying low over them," he said. "This will be scorned by all Shiites all over the world."

The US military for its part accused Iraqi forces of firing on coalition forces from Najaf's Ali mosque, saying that units from the US Army 5th Corps were refusing to return fire.

On the battlefront, with the coalition saying it is bearing down on the Iraqi capital from two fronts, the information minister denied reports of US advances in the Karbala area and in Al-Kut province.

"What they have mentioned about a breakthrough, this is completely opposition the facts on the ground," he said. "As for Kut ... they allege that they have crossed the Tigris ... I assure you that it is not true," he said.

SPACE.WIRE