Posted on 03/25/2003 4:18:26 PM PST by SolidSupplySide
CIVILIANS have fought with axes and knives against Saddam Hussein's heavily-armed militiamen during an uprising in Basra, an Iraqi opposition group has said.
The "Iraq Headquarters" of the US-backed Iraqi National Congress (INC), located in Kurdish-held northern Iraq, said it had received reports from "field officers" by satellite phone. "Civilians fought with axes and knives against Saddam's Fedayeen", who used mainly mortars and Kalashnikov rifles, an INC spokesman said.
There were casualties, but no figures were available, he added.
Saddam's Fedayeen, a paramilitary militia which according to the British military has 1000 men in Basra, is headed by the Iraqi president's elder son Uday.
The British defence ministry said earlier today that Iraqi forces in Basra had fired mortars against their own people and that US and British forces had destroyed the mortars and some artillery pieces.
"Following a number of reports of insurrection in Basra, it has been confirmed in theatre that Iraqi forces have fired mortars against their own people," it said.
A rebellion in Iraq's second-largest city would mark a major turning point for US and British forces.
The allies have been surprised by fierce resistance in the south of the country so far.
British tanks are massed outside the city of more than one million residents, mostly Shiite Muslims, waiting for orders to attack.
But the Iraqi government has denied any rebellion is under way.
"These are lies issued by the US administration and British government ... with the aim of demoralising (the Iraqi population)," Information Minister Mohammad Saeed al-Sahhaf said
Reports earlier this afternoon indicated that the Brits didn't want to send in the squaddies in the middle of night. Rather, they wanted to wait until daylight so that they might tell friend from foe a bit better.
It's actually important that the Lads go in. Saddam is thinking that they are afraid to go in. How they take down the Fedayeen and the SRG will be used as "lessons learned" for Baghdad.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
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