BAGHDAD, Nov 30: Teams of disarmament experts undertook on Saturday a third day of inspections in Iraq, checking a site baptised Um al-Maarik (Mother of All Battles) south of Baghdad for prohibited arms.

The complex at al-Yusifiya, 15 kilometres from the capital, appeared to be part of the regime’s military industrialization programme.

A group of inspectors went inside the compound accompanied by Iraqi officials from the National Monitoring Directorate, but journalists were kept out.

President Saddam Hussein named the 1991 Gulf war the “Mother of All Battles”, claiming victory from the survival of his regime despite being ousted from Kuwait.

The United Nations is set to fly a first helicopter into Iraq on Sunday to extend the range of weapons inspections, UN spokesman Hiro Ueki said.

“The first helicopter will arrive tomorrow, with our regular UN flight”, from a rear base in Larnaca, Cyprus, he said.

The chopper will be based at Al-Rasheed airport near the centre of Baghdad, Ueki added, without saying exactly when it would enter service. He also refused to reveal the nationalities of the crew.

Several more helicopters are due to be brought in at unspecified dates.

The helicopters will be used to transport arms experts to remote areas and provide surveillance of suspect sites while they are being inspected to ensure that there is no movement in or out.—AFP