With cities across northern Iraq falling like dominoes in the wake of Saddam Hussein's demise, the focus is shifting to his home base of Tikrit, which remains largely cut off from the rest of the country. Report by Lynne O'Donnell, in Mosul, and Deaglán de Bréadún, in Doha.
The city, sealed by soldiers still loyal to the dictator, was being seen as the last bastion of serious Iraqi resistance.
Small groups of US Special Forces were yesterday dug in on the outskirts of Tikrit, Iraq's third largest city, 150 km north of Baghdad. Air strikes were being called in as the Americans sought to intimidate Baathist loyalists into a surrender similar to those seen in Kirkuk and Mosul in recent days.
Elsewhere, the initial euphoria at the ending of the regime gave way to unrelenting looting in many cities. The anarchy which has blighted Mosul and Kirkuk on the northern plain appeared, however, to be abating as weary citizens rallied in local mosques to restore order and stop the slide into chaos and criminality.
In the face of growing international condemnation, the US Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, insisted that coalition forces were patrolling in the various cities. Where they saw looting, they were "stopping it".
Undertakings by Kurdish leaders who control the north to move their militia out of sensitive areas helped to quell concerns that Turkey would send troops over the border to ensure that the Kurds did not attempt to seize control of key oil production areas. Peshmerga fighters began pulling out of Kirkuk last night in a move which seemed to reassure the Turkish government that Kurds would adhere to promises not to pursue independence.
Syria announced, contrary to accusations made by the US, that it was not allowing mercenaries to cross into Iraq to fight with forces loyal to Saddam, removing another element of uncertainty.
The US-led coalition was last night moving towards a formal proclamation of victory in the war as the chief military commander, Gen Tommy Franks, declared: "The Saddam regime has ended." Baghdad remained volatile, however, as shopkeepers took the law into their own hands and began shooting at looters.
Descent into anarchy: page 8
Grief makes way for hatred
in Baghdad hospitals: page 9
Blair emerges with his own
world affirmed: page 10
Editorial comment : page 15