Iraqi information minister, Mohammad Saeed al-Sahaf said that the elite forces of the Iraqi Republican Guard have regained control of the Saddam airport. The minister added that the US forces that entered the airport yesterday were crushed. Sahaf meanwhile promised when possible to take journalist in a tour of the airport to prove his statements. According to Mr. Al-Sahaf those US forces that were outside the premises of the airport retreated to the Abu Gharib area near the airport and that these too were surrounded.

Sahaf described the operations launched by the Republican Guard forces as being original and new. He gave no further details.

US military sources at as-Sayliyah in Qatar told a correspondent of al-Jazeera Arabic TV Satellite Station that all of Sahaf statements were lies but failed to provide the reporter with evidence that the statements were untrue.

PHOTO CAPTION
Iraqi information minister, Mohammad Saeed al-Sahaf told reporters in Baghdad that Iraqi Republican Guard forces have regained control of Saddam airport captured by invasion forces Friday, April 4, 2003.