News agency Reuters today reported that US forces burst into the heart of Baghdad and entered two palace complexes of Saddam.

However the report said the marines hit tough resistance at key bridges o­n the capital's eastern flank, with at least two marines dead and several wounded as they fought for the bridges.

Also, reports say that British military officers have found the body of "Chemical Ali", believed to be killed when two coalition fighter planes bombarded his house in Basra o­n Saturday.

According to Reuters , the two marines died when an artillery shell landed o­n the turret of their amphibious assault vehicle, blasting through the tracked vehicle's armor.

Light resistance

The news agency also quoted a US military official as saying that the US marines have seized the main presidential palace in downtown Baghdad.

"There are two palaces down there and we are in both of them," Reuters quoted US Lieutenant Colonel Pete Bayer as saying.

" Reuters reporter Khaled Oweis said Iraqi forces were blocking many Tigris bridges. Republican Guards were defending key ministries with rocket-propelled grenades.

"Explosions later crashed around a central area, including a residential district, as Iraqis battled US forces, a Reuters witness said. Ambulances raced through the streets," added the Reuters report.

Meanwhile Fox News reported that the US troops had encountered relatively light resistance moving into Baghdad, but that fighting intensified as tanks approached the downtown area.

The station also said that the US-occupied presidential palace complex may be set up as a base of operations for coalition forces inside Baghdad.

According to ABC News , more than 70 tanks and 60 Bradley fighting vehicles took part in the lightning thrust by the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, with tank-killing A-10 Warthog planes and pilotless drones providing air cover against mostly disorganized resistance.

"Once they reached the gold-and-blue-domed New Presidential Palace, US soldiers used the toilets, rifled through documents in the bombed-out compound, and helped themselves to ashtrays, pillows, gold-painted Arab glassware and other souvenirs. The Americans also blew up a statue of Saddam o­n horseback in the center of the city," added ABC News .

Infidels committing suicide

Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf denied his city had been stormed. Clouds of dust blew past and sirens could be heard as he spoke.

"They are sick in their minds. They say they brought 65 tanks into center of city. I say to you this talk is not true," Fox News quoted him as saying outside the Palestine Hotel, which houses many foreign journalists. "There is no presence of American infidels in the city of Baghdad, at all."

According to Reuters , Sahhaf told reporters that "Baghdad is safe" and the US columns had been "slaughtered".

"The battle is still going o­n. Their infidels are committing suicide by the hundreds o­n the gates of Baghdad ... Don't believe those liars."

He was speaking within sight of US tanks o­n the other side of the Tigris river, added the news agency. Reports also say that many Iraqi soldiers were deserting their positions. ( photo )

Chemical Ali killed

Meanwhile reports say that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's cousin and commander of the southern region, Ali Hassan al-Majid is definitely dead, after the bombardment of his villa in Basra o­n Saturday.

According to a British Sky television report today, British military officers said they have found Ali's body. He is more commonly known as "Chemical Ali" for ordering a poison gas attack that killed thousands of Kurds in 1988.

Sky

said that this would be a major blow to Saddam's power structure as Ali was also o­ne of Saddam's close advisor.

Sky

reported that British officers "have confirmed the death during a briefing earlier this morning ... that's the news we are getting, that he is in fact dead."

According to the ABC News , Ali's death was confirmed by Maj Andrew Jackson of the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment.

He was also quoted by the Associated Press as saying that his superiors had confirmed the death of the man who was Saddam's first cousin, entrusted with defending southern Iraq against invading coalition forces.

Ali apparently was killed o­n Saturday when two coalition aircraft used laser-guided munitions to attack his house in Basra. Jackson said the body was found along with that of his bodyguard and the head of Iraqi intelligence services in Basra.

News agency Reuters reported that US and British forces had earlier said that Ali was believed to be killed when US planes bombed his house in Basra o­n Saturday.

However the agency added that Britain's Defense Ministry could not yet confirm the report that Ali's body had been found. Group Captain Al Lockwood, British Central Command spokesman, told BBC television he could not confirm the reports either.

Earlier, the US military had said the body of Ali's bodyguard was found after bombing in Basra o­n Saturday but at the time was unsure if Ali himself was dead -- officials believed he had entered the building at the time the air strike was ordered.

Iraq's information minister earlier denied the bombs killed Ali.