Iraq claims 33 civilians die in overnight raids

Iraq has said overnight US-British bombing killed 26 civilians in the central city of Najaf and another seven in Baghdad.

Iraq has said overnight US-British bombing killed 26 civilians in the central city of Najaf and another seven in Baghdad.

Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf said the raids also wounded 60 people in Najaf and 92 in the capital.

He told a Baghdad news conference 116 people had died and 695 had been injured in the southern city of Basra since the war began. "The enemy hit civilian areas in Najaf before our valiant forces successfully beat them back.

"Until last night, the toll from this bombing was 60 wounded and 26 martyrs," Mr al-Sahaf said.

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He also said Iraqi forces destroyed 33 tanks and armoured cars and killed four US-British troops yesterday in fighting in southern Iraq.