News from Baghdad
translated from IMC Italy | 23.03.2003 14:22
*Robdinz* is not in Baghdad but is in contact by phone with several freelance journalists, 6 or 7 human shields and a few Iraqi citizens that work with them.
More to follow.
Again many Iraqi soldiers around the city, thousands of troops are moving on open trucks and for this reason even more visible.
Bombings went on all night until this morning.
A blast, the most violent so far, shaked the whole Baghdad as if it was an earthquake.
Rumours of US and British "vanguard" in the city.
Iraqi tanks in the outskirts.
For the first time fire engines have been seen operating at the sites of fires caused by bombs
The university has been hit.
A gas explosion has blown up the tarmac of a road near the national stadium.
Reuters staff have been stopped while moving around independently. Since yesterday journalists are not allowed to move alone in the city.
Enormous difficulties for freelance journalists.
Iraqi TV announced that they will broadcast images of the wreckage of the US aircraft shot down last night.
The fate of the pilot(s) is unknown.
The Iraqi Tv also reports that a "large number" of British and US soldiers have been taken prisoners. But no information was given about the location of the capture. No images of the POWs have been shown.
I've been told that after a heavy bombardment - soon after dawn - a few kids were playing football on the banks of the river Tigris not far from the Palestine hotel.
In other words: in spite of all, life and the will to live seem stronger than war and bombs.
translated from IMC Italy
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