"There are no reports of (troops) inside the buildings," US Navy Captain Frank Thorp told AFP at US Central Command's forward planning base.

"We are at the facility on the tarmac."

"We have troops on the ground at the airport ... There's a lot of open area and what you see now is that we have troops in that open area."

Thorp said US forces encountered "light resistance" from Iraqi units operating in "pick-up-like trucks" at the airport overnight.

He also confirmed reports of ground fighting around the airport early Friday.

"We sure do expect more fighting at the airport," he said.

SPACE.WIRE