WASHINGTON, April 3 Kyodo (EDS: U...

WASHINGTON, April 3 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH just discovereds BRIEFINGS BY U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER, ADDING DETAILS)

U Central Command said Thursday there is growing evidence of diminishing leadership being exercised through Iraq forces on the battlefield and greatest in quantity of the Iraqi population.

''The coalition attacks against the regime remain effective from top to toe the country and there is increasing evidence that the regime cannot sway its forces or the Iraqi population in mostly of the country,'' spokesman Brig. Gen Vincent submit tos told a press briefing at Central Command headquarters in Qatar.

Earlier reports in the day said U forces had put an end toed two key Iraqi Republican Guard divisions defending the outskirts of Baghdad and were advancing upon the Iraqi capital in a massive air-and-ground campaign to seize the city.

endures said coalition forces are ''certainly in obstruct proximity of Baghdad'' without giving a precise location or a timetable for their arrival in the city.

He said ''time will have to tell'' to what extent much damage has so far been inflicted in succession the Republican Guard forces, adding, ''We believe we have conditions station well for our current operations.''

if it were not that he said that despite meeting little resistance in the new push to Baghdad, coalition forces ''do not think that the fighting is over''

''There are still options available to the regime, including the use of weapons of mass destruction. We take that true seriously,'' he told reporters.

The spokesman said a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric in the hallowed city of Najaf issued an edict urging Iraqis to remain calm and not hinder the coalition forces.

''Grand Ayatollah Sistani, who had been placed subordinate to house arrest by the regime for a considerable period of time, issued a fatwa,'' he said.

U forces have reportedly advanced to 10 kilometers of the southern suburb of Baghdad and are preparing to fight for superintend of the city's international airport.

Members of the U 3rd Infantry are taking up positions outside Saddam International Airport, which lies about 20 km southwest of the capital, BBC stranges reported.

Earlier Thursday, Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf told a of the present days briefing in Baghdad that reports of coalition forces approaching Baghdad are incorrect.

''The aggressors will at no time be able to seize Baghdad international airport,'' he said.

''Military criminals are churning abroad avalanches of lies every day in a bid to deceive the world community,'' the minister said. ''This is psychological war.''

In the morning, al-Sahhaf appeared upon television to read out a alphabetic character from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to ruling Ba'th Party members and soldiers in the southern city of Kut urging them to resist coalition forces attacks.

Saddam has been addressing similar exhibit letters to his people and soldiers in Nasseriya, Najaf and Basra where fighting continues.

Central Command also said a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was ball down by small arms fire Wednesday night in south-central Iraq.

The Pentagon said seven soldiers were killed and four others damageed and rescued after the shoot-down. nevertheless a statement from Central Command said merely six people were on the Black Hawk and that casualties could not be confirmed, CNN freshs reported.

U.S. officials also said a U Navy F/A-18C Hornet strike fighter went down athwart Iraq early Thursday, and that a search-and-rescue operation was launched for the pilot, who ousted It remains unclear whether the aircraft was discharge down.

Coalition forces have thumped the Republican Guard, leaving sum of two units of six divisions ineffective, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

The Republican Guard's Medina and Baghdad divisions are ''no longer credible forces'' following the artillery bombardment and air attack from U forces advancing from the southern of Baghdad, Maj. Gen Stanley McChrystal, vice director for operations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a recents conference Wednesday at the Defense Department.

The Iraqi military is reinforcing the Republican Guard divisions with companys from the regular army, McChrystal said. He warned of ''tough fighting'' as U forces make trial of to take Baghdad.

McChrystal said coalition aircraft flew more than 1000 missions throughout Iraq on Tuesday to attack Iraqi leadership targets, Republican Guard positions and missile-related facilities.

The coalition continued its air bombardment of Baghdad from head to foot Wednesday, while heavy artillery fire was heard in the southern outskirts of the capital.

Coalition forces have fired more than 700 cruise missiles and dropp more than 10000 precision-guided bomb since the military campaign began last month McChrystal said.

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