Some 50 people, including a Russiannational, were killed in a bombardment of the southern port of Basraearly today by coalition planes, the Qatar-based satellite channelAl-Jazeera reported.
It said the toll was compiled by its correspondent in the cityfrom one hospital. A large number of people were also wounded in theraids.
Al-Jazeera's Mohammad al-Abdallah, the only foreigncorrespondent in Basra, said that over the previous two days onlythe outskirts had been targeted, but today the bombs hittargets in the city itself.
Coalition planes began their bombardment at 11.30 a.m. (8.30 a.m Irish time), he said.
A family, with a two-year-old child, were among the 50 killed,Mr Abdullah added, but he did not say if there were soldiers among thevictims.
AFP