April 8, 2003	Tuesday	Safar 5, 1424

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BASRA, April 7: British troops declared the battle for Basra “more or less over” on Monday as thousands of soldiers poured into Iraq’s main southern city, triggering some scenes of jubilation and looting by residents.

“We are covering all the areas of Basra, including the old city. There are soldiers and armoured vehicles inside (the old city) right now,” Lt Col Hugh Blackman of the 7th Armoured Brigade told reporters here.

“The battle is more or less over now.”

The British had been making regular incursions into Basra over the past few days, but it was the first time they had been able to move into the narrow streets of the city’s Old Town.

“There are 4,000 soldiers, 200 tanks and hundreds of armoured vehicles in Basra,” said Blackman.

Scores of Challenger tanks and armoured vehicles could be seen moving into the city centre in the morning, while hundreds of troops could be seen on foot for the first time.

Their arrival was greeted with scenes of joy by some residents who ripped down murals of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

One of those joining in the celebrations, Qusay Rawah, said the downfall of Saddam’s regime in Basra was a day “we had prayed for”.

“We will celebrate for many months to come that Basra has been taken away from Saddam.”

But Jelil, a resident of the Old Town, denied there was any cause for celebration.

“The people in Basra feel defeated,” he said. “Sure, we certainly hated Saddam, but we also hate the British and Americans.”

Another man near the entrance to the city despaired that “everything is ruined.

“Baghdad is falling; Basra is falling. The Iraqis no longer have a government,” he said.

Many exploited the chaos to embark on a looting spree.

One young man, who had recently deserted from the Iraqi army, wheeled away an airconditioning unit from his old school.

“I need airconditioning units. It gets very hot and we do not have any in the people’s houses,” he said.

“Looting is bad, but I am going to get some. We have had nothing for so long that now we have to take what we can.”

Others made off with furniture, ceiling fans, electric lights and even floorboards.

Air Marshall Brian Burridge, the commander of British forces in the Gulf, pledged to bring the looting under control.

“We will try to maintain a sense of law and order,” he told reporters at Central Command headquarters in Qatar.

“It’s difficult, but we have a lot of practice in it and we’ll do our best.”

President Saddam’s palace in the city was seized by marine commandos in a morning raid.

The ostentation of the buildings and gardens — not to mention a swimming pool and yacht moorings — struck the marines after pushing through scenes of appalling poverty and destruction.

“It’s fairly striking - the rich-poor divide, particularly having just driven through the outskirts of Basra and seeing the extraordinary poverty there,” said Captain Oliver Lee, Operations Officer with 42 Commando.

The British also seized control of Basra university, which had been used as a base by President Saddam’s followers to launch attacks.

Rocket-propelled grenades and Kalashnikovs littered the ground around the bodies of 12 militiamen who were dressed in a combination of civilian and military clothing.

Blackman said the British did not yet control the whole city, but “between 70 and 80 per cent” was now secure.

The British have been camped on the outskirts of Basra for nearly two weeks, but had previously said they were in “no rush” to enter the city.

But they finally launched an allout assault on Sunday when battalions of tanks pushed right into the heart of town and surrounded the local headquarters of the Baath Party. —AFP