IRAQ: IRAQIS CELEBRATE END OF AERIAL BOMBARDMENT

(20 Dec 1998) Arabic/Nat

Iraqis in the southern city of Basra have been celebrating the end of the aerial bombardment of their city by the United States and Britain.

Chanting pro-Saddam slogans, scores of people gathered to mark the cessation of missile attacks.

It is not clear whether the demonstration was spontaneous - or orchestrated for Western journalists who were escorted by officials from Baghdad's Ministry of Information.

Scores of people took to the streets to celebrate the end of air strikes in the southern Iraqi town of Basra, home to Iraq's key oil refinery.

Waving flags, guns and shouting nationalist slogans, people loudly expressed delight their homes were safe again - at least for now.

The U-S and Britain struck Basra during four nights of missile attacks on strategic sites in Iraq.

Allied authorities said it had been used in a sanctions-busting plot to bring in money to aid Saddam's war machine.

But the most important economic sites in the area, the lucrative oil fields on the outskirts of the city, appeared to be undamaged by the attacks.

Flames were visible from the tall gas chimneys on the plant site.

Journalists were also shown evidence of what was claimed to be evidence of damage caused by the bombardment of Basra.

The "Post and Telecommunications" centre in the city was hit at 1am local time on Friday morning killing two people and injuring six others.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)
"At one o'clock in the morning I was at home and I heard the post office being hit by a rocket."
SUPER CAPTION: Aziz Taleb, Manager of Post and Telecommunications centre

The building was hit by three rockets and two cruise missiles according to Iraqi authorities.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)
"A missile landed near my house and I was inside - my doors were locked and I couldn't get outside to see what was happening but there was a loud explosion and a lot of dust."
SUPER CAPTION: VOX POP, Post office worker

Many had already started the lengthy task of clearing the rubble and rebuilding the shattered city.

But even so - just a day later, life appeared to be returning to normal in the city as people went about their daily business.

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