Surrounded

US forces tightened a cordon around Baghdad on Sunday, as bombs and artillery battered the city, hospitals were engulfed with casualties and...

US forces tightened a cordon around Baghdad on Sunday, as bombs and artillery battered the city, hospitals were engulfed with casualties and relief organisations warned of a growing humanitarian crisis.

President Saddam Hussein8217;s information minister insisted forces loyal to the Iraqi leader were pushing back the invaders. But the reality was that US troops appeared to be methodically preparing the ground for a final assault to kill or capture Saddam, his sons and all his top associates and were meeting little organised or sustained resistance.

US officers said they had cut most approaches to the sprawling capital of five million people.

8216;8216;We8217;re just about there,8217;8217; Colonel Will Grimsley of the US 3rd Infantry Division told Reuters correspondent Luke Baker when asked if US forces had completely encircled the city.

As if to emphasise the point, the first US military aircraft, a C-130, landed at Baghdad8217;s international airport about one hour after nightfall, the first plane to land since US forces seized the facility early on Friday.

US military maps seen by Reuters showed only one main road, Highway 2, remained to be secured on the outskirts of the capital. It leads north to the oil city of Kirkuk.

In other developments, Russia said a convoy carrying its ambassador and other Russian diplomats from Baghdad was attacked and four or five people were wounded. The US military said the area was under Iraqi control. There was no immediate comment from the Iraqis.

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In the south, British forces punched into the heart of Basra, changing tactics after encircling and gradually stepping up pressure on Iraq8217;s second city since early in the war.

8216;8216;We opened a second access of attack this afternoon with 3 Commando Brigade,8217;8217; British spokesman Al Lockwood said. 8216;8216;We8217;re on the edge of Basra old city now. We8217;re in there with tanks, we8217;re staying and we8217;re not just going in and coming out again.8217;8217;

UN relief agencies warned of a health crisis facing Baghdad residents, with hospitals overwhelmed and infrastructure devastated.

8216;8216;We expect a severe deterioration of the health situation during the days to come due to the daily bombardment that results in damage of infrastructure and sharp rise in civilian casualties,8217;8217; said Fadela Chaib, WHO spokesman.

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The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC said Baghdad hospitals were struggling to cope with a deluge of wounded that has stretched resources to the limit and caused growing chaos.

By night, a power cut plunged the city into darkness as the sound of heavy machine guns, multiple-rocket launchers and artillery ripped the air.

No toll for civilian casualties in Baghdad was available, but ICRC spokesman Roland Huguenin-Benjamin told Reuters: 8216;8216;During fierce bombardment, hospitals received up to 100 casualties per hour.8217;8217; Reuters