International   

Victory at hand: Saddam

BAGHDAD APRIL 2. Declaring that "victory is at hand," the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, issued a new statement urging Iraqis to fight and defend their towns, according to a broadcast on Iraqi television on Wednesday

In the statement, which was read by an Iraqi news anchor in a military uniform, Mr. Hussein repeatedly called upon his people to fight and said the Iraqi armed forces had not used their full capabilities in the battle.

"Fight them so that Iraq, the bastion of religion and principles, will be secured and our (Islamic) nation will come out of this crisis glorious," the statement said. "Fight them. Victory is at hand, God willing, although we have only utilised a third or less of our army while the criminals have used everything they brought in."

"Their failure was manifested and victory is glowing, God willing," the statement said.

The statement singled out the 11th Division of the Iraqi army and Ba'ath Party members in Nasiriyah and other southern towns who have ``exhausted'' the coalition forces, and urged Iraqis to follow their example in defending their cities.

The statement, which was monitored in Doha, Qatar, was different from another broadcast on Tuesday night in which Mr. Hussein called for Iraqis to wage jihad, or holy war, against coalition forces. — AP

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• U.S. move to lay siege to Baghdad
• PoW rescued in U.S. raid
• Victory at hand: Saddam
• Pentagon lashes out at war plan critics
• `Resolve crisis through U.N.'
• A humanitarian issue: Annan
• Powell mission to mend fences with Europe
• China takes steps to check disease
• Russia protests bombing
• Pak. a peaceful country: Musharraf
• Pak. Senate condemns war
• South Korea to send `non-combat' troops
• Pak., China sign charter on defence ties
• 'Pak. missile n- programme indigenous'
• Arundhati Roy, Jemima Khan flay Bush, Blair

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu