British forces entered the outskirts of Iraq's second largest city of Basra this evening.
Aid agencies are also trying to rush water to the besieged population of some 1.2 million people amid fears of a humanitarian crisis in the mainly Shi'ite city unless water supplies can be restored soon.
British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said Iraqi militia had begun to flee in the face of artillery and air strikes, and cited reports that an attempted rebellion by local people had been brutally snuffed out.
"Certainly there have been disturbances, local people rising up against the regime," he said.
Baghdad has vehemently dismissed the claims of a revolt as US "lies" aimed at demoralising the Iraqi people, while US Secretary of State Colin Powell said it was too early to say how the situation would unfold.
On the ground, units from 7th Armoured Brigade were fighting rain and mud as well as dedicated loyalists of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as they manoeuvred around the strategic port city on search and destroy patrols.
By the afternoon, they were fighting in the town's outlying settlements.
The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had restored water supplies to about half the city's population afterpartially repairing the main Wafa Al Qaed pumping station, which had been damaged in fighting on Friday.
The work was possible after engineers reached the station just north of the city yesterday thanks to security guarantees from the warring parties.
AFP