Baghdad: US forces that have pushed into Baghdad will either surrender or "be burned
in their tanks", Iraqi Information Minister Mohammad Said al-Sahhaf warned on April
8 when asked if Iraq would surrender.
"They are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks," Sahhaf told a reporter
who asked if it was not time for Iraq to surrender now that US forces and tanks were
on the streets of Baghdad.
"We have imprisoned them inside their tanks," said Sahhaf, speaking outside the
Palestine Hotel housing journalists minutes after it came under
bombardment.
Sahhaf said Iraqi forces had cut off the US invaders from their rear positions and
Iraqi commandos were preparing to "crush" them inside the capital.
The Americans "are in a state of hysteria. They imagine they can terrorise (people)
by killing civilians", he said.
Reports said hundreds of families fled Baghdad on April 8 as the capital was rocked
by US bombing and fighting between US and Iraqi forces.
