TENS of thousands of Kurds fled towards Iran yesterday as Iraq gloated that the victory of its Kurdish militia allies had Baghdad's power over United States.
In Washington the Pentagon said Iraq was attempting to rebuild its air defences in the south of the country, and that it had warned Saddam Hussein such activity would not go unnoticed spokesman, Mr Kenneth Bacon, said the US had conveyed several written warnings to the Iraqi president.
"We have made it very clear to Saddam that if he rebuilds air defenses and threatens our missions over the no fly zone ... we will take action," Mr Bacon said.
Baghdad meanwhile declared an amnesty for Kurds who bad lived under Western protection since Saddam's regime lost control of northern Iraq in 1991.
The US, which last week conducted missile strikes on southern Iraq in reprisal for Iraqi forces fighting with Kurdish allies, called the latest fighting a civil war, but warned Baghdad and Tehran against becoming involved.
But the contest appeared all ready decided when the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) lost their stronghold of Sulaimaniyah to the Iraqi backed Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Monday. The United Nations said it was preparing for a potential refugee crisis, as up to 75,000 Kurds headed for the Iranian border. Iranian officials, saying the potential number was 200,000 appealed for international aid.
Chris Nuttall writes from
Sulaimaniyah: "Are the Iraqis coming?" was the first question asked anxiously on the almost deserted streets as we drove into this city yesterday morning ahead of a long convoy of victorious Peshmergas of the KDP.
Rumours had swept Sulaimaniyah hours before it fell that President Sad dam Hussein's forces were on their way, creating an exodus of tens of thousands of the city's inhabitants. Memories of the sacking of Sulaimaniyah five years ago, and the pursuit of refugees into the hills with helicopter gunships, induced paranoia in this city of several hundred thousand.
There was no sign of any Iraqi forces as we drove before dawn from the KDP's headquarters in Salahuddien down the main high way to Sulaimaniyah. Baghdad's armour had helped in the capture of the regional capital of Irbil on August 31st, triggering the 11 day rout of the PUK.
There were indications that Baghdad assisted with some long range shelling from camps south of Irbil. But the KDP needed no help in its long thrust on Monday through mountainous terrain to take Sulaimaniyah from a demoralised opponent.
As dawn broke, a long column of pick up trucks mounted with machine guns, as well as buses, lorries and private cars, was speeding south eastwards. They were packed with Pashmergas singing, drumming and clapping, the yellow flag of the KDP flapping wildly from each vehicle.
The convoy blared horns as it entered Sulaimaniyah. Children stepped into the road to hand the fighters yellow flowers. Off the main highway, the town was silent, with most residents locked up indoors or fled to the border.
They gradually emerged as it became apparent that Suddam Hussein was not involved. Hundreds returned from the border throughout the day, and the KDP leader, Mr Massoud Barzani, arrived to announce a general amnesty for PUK members.
Aid workers said the town had fallen on Monday night in less than an hour with no casualties. There were reports of disillusionment with the leadership of Jalal Talabani and anger at the early escape of PUK Politburo members to Iran. While it was being written off as a spent force here, the PUK issued a statement saying Mr Talabani was still in northern Iraq and the movement would fight on from the mountains.