Swathes of Iraq 'still a war zone' despite Bush's declaration

Nearly two months after President Bush declared hostilities at an end in Iraq, the US military command has conceded that a strip of land in the centre of the country is "still a warzone".

The 'Ba'athist Triangle' in the area within Tikrit, Baghdad and Ar Ramadi has now seen over 80% of all attacks on Coalition forces.

However, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers, pledged to remain in the area to create stability necessary for elections to be held.

"Militarily we won't be defeated in Iraq and we will stay there until the job is done," he said.

He also attempted to clarify the President's position when he declared major combat operations over in Iraq on May 1. Gen Myers Mr Bush was "very precise in the words he used," who still believed that the environment was still "challenging" and "hard".

In addition to militia loyal to Saddam, Gen Myers said that the Iraqi dictator released thousands of criminals as the coalition approached Baghdad which had exacerbated civil disorder problems. Opposition to the coalition has also been further deepened by an influx of foreign fighters, he said.

Elsewhere, US troops have detained one of Saddam Hussein's senior bodyguards in a house in Tikrit – the dictator's home village.

The arrest of one of Saddam's bodyguards Adnan Abdullah Abid al-Musslit this morning is significant as he could provide a lead in the search for Saddam Hussein.

US sources in Tikrit have said that the arrest squad may only have been a few hours away from netting the former regime leader himself.

(GMcG)