'Saddam's days are numbered'

Saddam Hussein's regime has effectively lost control of southern Iraq and must know its "days are numbered", Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said today.

Outlining "steady" coalition progress after six days of military action, he told MPs more than 5,000 sorties had been flown in the air campaign, achieving "significant degradation" of Iraqi regime and command and control facilities.

"The focus of our effort will now shift towards close air support of coalition ground forces advancing on Baghdad," he said.

After good progress in the south of the country the US 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit has been released to rejoin the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force heading towards Baghdad.

Resistance in Al Zubayr had been defeated and British forces were in place in much of the area around Basra, he added.

Mr Hoon paid tribute to the "courage, resilience and determination in combat" of British troops, pledging the 20 British servicemen who have died

to date, would "not be forgotten".

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