Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=04/03/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / RESPONSE (S)

NUMBER=2-301703

BYLINE=GREG LaMOTTE

DATELINE=CAIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Senior Iraqi officials say coalition forces are on the move in the desert, but control no Iraqi city or town. They are also saying coalition forces are not near the capital, Baghdad. V-O-A's Greg LaMotte is monitoring the developments in Baghdad from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

TEXT: Despite information from reporters with coalition forces that U-S and British troops are within a few kilometers of Baghdad, Iraq's minister of information, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, told reporters that coalition forces are not within 150-kilometers of the capital city.

Mr. al-Sahaf also said coalition forces control no city or town in Iraq. Reporters with coalition forces indicate otherwise.

Mr. al-Sahaf said bombing raids in and around Baghdad since Wednesday had killed 27 civilians and wounded 193 people.

There is no way to independently confirm the information about casualties given by Iraqi officials.

However, for the first time, Mr. al-Sahaf said the figures he gave during his news briefings are estimates of casualties. (SIGNED)

NEB/GL/KL/RAE/FC