The heavy bombardment, which had kept pounding the city overnight, continued into the mid-morning hours. AFP reporters in the city say the US and British air strikes have intensified in the past few days.

But no explosions were heard from the centre of Baghdad, the seat of President Saddam Hussein's 24-year grip on power, and his presidential compound on the banks of the Tigris River was left unscathed for the first time in days.

The United States and Britain launched the war to topple Saddam on March 20, and their warplanes have been pounding positions of his elite Republican Guard defending the approaches to the city.

SPACE.WIRE