However, Major John Altman, of the 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade, told an AFP correspondent on the ground that the airport will not be secure "until you've gone to every room of every building. There's a lot of buildings."

He was speaking shortly after 7:30 am (0330 GMT) with heavy machine-gun fire in the background, indicating fighting was still going on.

However, he said "I don't think much of it (Iraqi fire) is coming from inside the airport."

SPACE.WIRE