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The United States was leading a massive military campaign to end Saddam Hussein's regime, Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of the US central command supervising the ongoing war in Iraq, said in Doha on Saturday.
The US was determined to "liberate" the Iraqi people from "dictatorship" and find the weapons of mass destruction possessed by Iraq, said Gen. Franks at a press briefing in Doha, who made his debut to the press since the US-led war on Iraq broke out Thursday.
He said that unprecedented precise-guided weapons were used during the first three days of attacks against Iraq, and more such weapons would be used if necessary.
The coalition forces would try their best to avoid civilian casualties in upcoming battles, the general said.
Gen. Franks added that he currently had no idea about the whereabouts of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
He extended his condolence to the US and British soldiers killed both in the battlefield and in the helicopter crash accidents.
Gen. Franks also warned terrorists in every corner of the world not to wage terror attacks on the US and its allies, or face severe punishment.
Meanwhile, Brig. Vincent Brooks confirmed at the press conference that oil terminals in southern Iraq had been secured by coalition forces in initial operations.
(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2003)
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