The streets of Baghdad became a battleground yesterday as more US troops strengthened the grip in the city despite facing sporadic gunfire from the city defenders.

However the US forces were also responsible for killing three journalists covering a war that appeared to be entering its final stages, reported news agency Reuters .

CNN

quoted US military as saying that organized resistance by Iraqi forces has ended in Baghdad, despite fierce gun battles, adding that coalition forces are moving around "at will".

US military defends its action

At the same time, Pentagon officials said president Saddam Hussien's regime still controls elements of the Iraqi military, specifically Special Republican Guard units and death squads, even though command and control has deteriorated, said CNN .

"Clouds of black smoke billowed into the sky and explosions reverberated across the capital as US armor and artillery, backed by aircraft, took o­n apparently disorganized defenders armed largely with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades," said Reuters .

The report also said that a US tank fired o­n a Baghdad hotel packed with foreign journalists, killing two cameramen from Reuters and Spanish television. A journalist from al-Jazeera was killed in what the Arab television channel called a US airstrike o­n its office.

The US military defended its actions, saying that it had been fired o­n first from the hotel and regretted any casualties, but said Baghdad was a dangerous war zone. Three other Reuters journalists were wounded in the tank attack.

The news agency also added that reporters in the hotel said they did not hear any firing at the tank, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based watchdog group that defends press freedoms, demanded an investigation in a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Military airbase seized

Other groups representing journalists expressed outrage, and Reuters Editor-in-Chief Geert Linnebank said the action of US troops raised questions about their judgment.

On the US troops hold in the city, BBC reported that they have been pushing into the city from the north and south-east, as well as trying to extend an area they control in the city centre.

Reports also said that during the day, US marines seized the Rashid military airbase, five kilometers south-east of the centre.

"And in the north-east, another group of marines entered the sprawling mainly Shia Muslim suburb of Saddam City. A BBC correspondent travelling with them says they were greeted by smiling and waving Iraqis," added the British news provider.

BBC

further said that two US 3rd Infantry tanks also rolled o­nto the Republic (Jumhuriya) Bridge in central Baghdad to attack Iraqi fighters dug in o­n the eastern bank.

Local leaders in chaotic Basra

Meanwhile in Basra, BBC reported that while the British troops are trying to flush out all resistence, which it says will take a few more days, widespread looting is preventing aid from getting into the city.

"Thousands of people have rampaged through Iraq's second city and British troops had to fire into the air o­n Tuesday to prevent young men from stripping aid lorries bare," reported BBC .

The looting has compounded the problems for British troops and prevented aid going where it is needed.

"As well as aid lorries, thousands have also targeted hospitals, schools, banks, hotels and the police station. Reporters said they had seen fridges, ceiling fans, fire engines, pieces of corrugated iron and even a grand piano being wheeled along the streets," added BBC .

CNN

quoted a British military spokesman as saying that British forces would occupy Basra o­nly as long as it takes to pass control over to tribal and local authorities.

"Handover talks have already begun between British military officials and local leaders, and the leaders who will take control have already been identified," reported CNN .

The length of time the occupying force will stay in the southern city just depends o­n how long it takes for the coalition forces to bring full security to the area, the spokesman was quoted as saying.

Saddam escapes bombing

In another development, British intelligence sources are saying that Iraqi president Saddam Hussein could have survived an attack o­n a building in Baghdad o­n Monday, said the London Guardian .

The US-led forces dropped bombs into a building in which it was believed Saddam and his two sons were in.

"He was probably not in the building when it was bombed," a well-placed source was quoted as saying by the daily. The source added it was believed that Saddam had been in the building earlier.

The American pilot of a B-1 bomber circling nearby was told the Iraqi president had entered the building. Twelve minutes later, the pilot dropped four 2,000lb joint direct attack munition bombs o­n it.

The report added that intelligence sources declined to say how the information about the Iraqi leader's whereabouts was gleaned, whether from listening devices, special forces, or Iraqi informers o­n the ground.

Preliminary assessment

Pentagon officials had referred to three credible sources of "human intelligence" locating Saddam in the building, in the upmarket district of Mansur, which is still under Iraqi control.

Guardian

said the intelligence sources described their view that Saddam had not been killed in Monday's attack as a "preliminary assessment", presumably from intelligence in Baghdad. But the Pentagon said yesterday it could be days before it was known for certain who had died.

"At least 40 senior officials were understood to be meeting President Saddam and his sons in a bunker at the back of the building, connected to a restaurant. Iraqi officials said they found two bodies in the rubble and were searching for another 14 they thought were still buried, but said no members of the leadership had been killed," added the Guardian.