Missile lands in Tigris in front of Saddam's main palace

BAGHDAD (AFP) Apr 05, 2003
A missile landed in the Tigris river next to Saddam Hussein's main presidential palace Saturday, an AFP reporter in the Iraqi capital said.

Smoke briefly rose from the water after the missile fell around 9:15 pm (1715 GMT), sounding off a loud explosion heard around central Baghdad. A plane roared overhead at about the same time.

The sprawling Republican Palace on the banks of the Tigris has been repeatedly hit by bombs or missiles since the US-led coalition launched the war March 20 aimed at toppling Saddam.

The US military said its ground forces Saturday penetrated the capital for the first time since seizing the main airport on Friday, whose capture was denied by Iraq.

Baghdad shuddered Saturday under incessant bombing, with loud blasts shaking high-rises in the city center.

SPACE.WIRE