Dubai: Coalition forces were on March 23 engaged in street-to-street fighting with Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guards in the Southern Iraqi city of Umm Qasr, a day after capturing the city's port, and advanced within 160 km from Baghdad, which claimed to have captured 35 American prisoners of war.

While Britain lost a fighter jet when it was shot down by American Patriot missile on Iraq-Kuwait border, Iraq claimed to have shot down a coalition aircraft over Baghdad and television channels showed Iraqi soldiers firing into Tigris river as they searched for British or American crew.

Coalition forces launched air strikes on Umm Qasr to overcome challenges by Republican Guards.

Reports reaching Dubai said allied forces were engaged in street-to-street fighting in the strategic city. Live pictures from Umm Qasr showed US tanks firing heavy calibre shells towards small buildings and mounds of sand.

US fighter jets also bombed Iraqi positions in Nasiriyah further North where an estimated 500 Iraqis using tanks and mortars were challenging US Marines trying to secure a route through the town.

Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan said in Baghdad that Iraqis had captured 35 American prisoners of war and promised to produce them for TV cameras later.

However, US denied that any of its soldiers have been captured.

PTI