"We are continuing to register Iraqi prisoners of war," said Antonella Notari, spokeswoman of the International Committee of the Red Cross: "We are also visiting POWs in camps under coalition command."

But the International Red Cross had not succeeded in gaining access to coalition POWs in Iraqi hands.

According to latest estimates as of Friday seven American soldiers have been taken prisoner and 16 were provisionally reported missing.

No British soldiers have so far been reported taken prisoner.

"We have still had no news from the Iraqi authorities about coalition prisoners of war," the spokeswoman said.

The International Red Cross is tasked under the 1949 Third Geneva Convention on prisoners of war with registering prisoners, visiting them, and ensuring respect for their rights.

The US Central Command said Wednesday there were certainly more than 4,000 Iraqi POWs, in contradiction to a figure of 9,000 given by the British government.

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told the House of Commons Thursday coalition forces now held more than 9,000 Iraqi prisoners of war.

The figure is 1,000 higher than the one Hoon gave in the Commons on Monday, and substantially higher than that given Wednesday by US General Vincent Brooks at coalition headquarters in Qatar.

SPACE.WIRE