Residents flee after Baghdad 'night of hell'

Residents are fleeing suburbs near Baghdad airport into the city centre today after what one called a "night of hell" as US forces moved in.

"Some people I stopped said that all day since dawn people had been streaming out of the airport area," said a Reuters correspondent in the city centre, where residents were staying indoors.

It was a night of hell. We saw that they [US forces] have entered Baghdad, there were planes all night dropping bombs and there was shelling all night Iraqi woman fleeing Baghdad suburbs

"There was banging all night. It was a night of hell. We saw that they [US forces] have entered Baghdad, there were planes all night dropping bombs and there was shelling all night," said one woman.

Droves of cars headed into Baghdad along the airport road.

"There is a feeling that the war has arrived in Baghdad, everything is deserted," the Reuters reporter said.