Pentagon changes tactics

The Pentagon is adjusting its tactics after US commanders on the ground said they were surprised by the resistance put up by Saddam Hussein's paramilitaries.

Instead of racing straight to Baghdad, US-led troops will now stop to clear out pockets of fighters who hold-out against them, US officials said.

Marines slowed their advance, opting to send patrols out from their convoys to take out mortar nests and other enemy targets.

One of the groups that is responsible for the change is the Fedayeen Saddam, a militia that has been rallying other Iraqi forces to continue fighting - and in some cases has reportedly stopped others from surrendering to the allies.

The Fedayeen - which means "those ready to sacrifice themselves for Saddam" - are accused of organising battlefield ruses like posing as civilians and faking surrenders in order to ambush invading forces.

Intelligence officials say there could be 30,000 to 60,000 of them, with chapters assigned to each Iraqi province to assure loyalty to Saddam.

One US Defence Department official said commanders were surprised by the capability of the Fedayeen.

Another official said the group has shown tenacity and that it was expected that it would present the biggest problem in Baghdad rather than in the south.

"We're going into a hunting mode right now," said Lt Col BT McCoy, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. "We are going to start hunting down instead of letting them take the cheap shots."

Meanwhile, the Air Force said it used an experimental bomb to try to knock out Iraq's state-run television. Officials declined to describe the weapon, but they have said in recent months that they were developing a bomb that would emit an electromagnetic pulse to disrupt computers, communications and other equipment.

Most watched News videos