BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug 15, 2002 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Iraqi authorities have ordered Baghdad residents to stay put and warned that their money and property will be confiscated if they leave the city without permission, according to a well-informed Iraqi Kurdish source.
The measures were taken, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity, to prevent people fleeing the capital in anticipation of a U.S. military strike.
According to unconfirmed reports, government officials in Baghdad have been selling their properties and changing their Iraqi dinars for hard currency.
The new measures were also aimed at preventing people from avoiding being recruited into militias, such as the Popular Army, Saddam Forces and the Jerusalem Army, the source said.
Copyright 2002 by United Press International.
Seems as though the rats are jumping ship.