IRAQ: IRAQ'S INFORMATION MINISTER MOHAMMED SAEED AL-SAHAF REJECTS REPORTS OF A MAJOR U.S. ADVANCE INTO THE CENTRE OF BAGHDAD

Record ID: 165734

  • Title: IRAQ: IRAQ'S INFORMATION MINISTER MOHAMMED SAEED AL-SAHAF REJECTS REPORTS OF A MAJOR U.S. ADVANCE INTO THE CENTRE OF BAGHDAD
  • Date: 6th April 2003
  • Summary: (W3) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (APRIL 7, 2003) (REUTERS - NO ACCESS CNN INTERNATIONAL) 1. SV/SLV INFORMATION MINISTER MOHAMMED SAEED AL-SAHAF WALKING TOWARDS REPORTERS; RPORTERS AND CAMERA OPERATORS AROUND SAHAF (2 SHOTS) 0.21 2. MCU (English) MOHAMMED SAEED AL-SAHAF SAYING "They pushed a few of their armoured carriers and some tanks with their soldiers. We besieged them and we killed most of them and I think we will finish them soon. My feelings, As usual, we will slaughter them all. Those invaders, their tombs will be here in Iraq." 0.44 3. PAN OF REPORTERS WATCHING 0.55 4. MCU (Arabic) SAHAF SAYING "They are sick in their minds (spoken in English). (Continues in Arabic) They say sixty five tanks have come and they say they are in the middle of the city. I tell you, this isn't true." 1.16 5. SAHAF THROUGH VIEWFINDER OF VIDEO CAMERA 1.20 6. MCU (Arabic) SAHAF SAYING "Now I can say, on the record, they have started to commit suicide at the gates of Baghdad" 1.34 7. PAN OF MEDIA 1.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved Details Iraq's information minister has said that Iraqi forces were slaughtering U.S. forces attacking Baghdad and denied that 65 U.S. tanks had burst into the city and captured palaces of President Saddam Hussein. Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf told reporters in central Baghdad on Monday (April 7, 2003) that U.S. forces were committing suicide at the gates of Baghdad. "Now I can say, on the record, they have started to commit suicide at the gates of Baghdad," he said, rejecting reports of a major U.S. advance into the centre of the city. "They pushed a few of their armoured carriers and some tanks with their soldiers. We besieged them and we killed most of them and I think we will finish them soon. My feelings? As usual, we will slaughter them all. Those invaders, their tombs will be here in Iraq," Sahaf told reporters at the central Palestine hotel as a dense yellow sandstorm swept in over the city. He was speaking within sight of U.S. tanks on the other side of the Tigris river. Earlier, two U.S. tanks could be seen going into a palace on the west bank of the Tigris as Iraqi troops fought back. Shells crashed into the compound, sending up plumes of white smoke.
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords:
  • Reuters ID:
  • Story Text:
Register