"Within recent hours, I am told that in Mosul there appears to be an opportunity for the regular Iraqi forces to turn in their weapons and no longer pose a threat," he told reporters after meeting with members of Congress.

"In which case, Kurdish forces and US forces in small numbers are in the process of moving into Mosul," he said.

He said US forces were in "good communication" with the Turkish government and the process was being conducted in an orderly fashion.

"And the forces that are entering are being welcomed by the people," he said.

The change in Mosul came just hours after Kurdish and US forces entered Kirkuk, another oil city in northern Iraq, following the withdrawal of Iraqi forces.

"We've had a consistent information plan where we've communicated through leaflets, through radio, through television advising the Iraqi forces that the Saddam Hussein regime was done and that we strongly recommended that they not die for a dead regime," Rumsfeld said.

"I am told it has happened along some portion of the green line," he said.

SPACE.WIRE