The convoys have a hard road ahead, braving US-led bombings on hazardous highways amid advancing ground troops from the south toward Baghdad, the stronghold of President Saddam Hussein.

Intense battles were raging in and around most cities in the south and the north as well as in Baghdad’s suburbs, the site of huge military camps relentlessly pounded by US and British coalition raids in their bid to oust Saddam.

Saleh said a convoy of trucks loaded with food supplies was dispatched Wednesday to Nassiriyah where battles were ongoing and another had arrived at 10:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) yesterday in the southern city of Basra which is partly besieged by British troops.

British forces were trying to take control of Basra, the country’s second city and main maritime gateway, after Iraqi tanks made a surprise breakout of the embattled port late Wednesday and pushed toward British positions.

Saleh was speaking to reporters while standing on the side of the main highway in Baghdad where a long line of 20 yellow large trucks had been parked, ready to head to Basra. He said about 20 trucks of similar supplies will be sent every day to the Basra region and an average of 10 truckloads will fan out to various other smaller provinces.

Highways have become treacherous with steady bombardment from the air, the ground and the sea by the US and British forces as well as fierce resistance by Iraqi troops. The minister invited “anyone who wishes to go with the trucks all the way to Basra to verify this.”

“Each one of the trucks contains 35 tons of wheat, flour, milk and other basic and necessary products,” said Saleh. “Food rations have been distributed to the Iraqi people to last for the next six months, so this is just an additional supply, a gesture to show that we are there with them, that we are in daily contact,” said Saleh.

Most homes in Iraq have stockpiled essential food, medicines and fuel, and dug wells to be operated manually in case electricity cuts lead to prolonged water shortages. The government has also distributed food rations for six months in advance to the entire population, the vast majority of whom have grown dangerously reliant on such handouts.

Saleh denounced the delivery of US/UK food rations in the south by an aid agency from Kuwait. Iraq had invaded its neighbor in 1990 before it was freed from occupation by a US-led military offensive about six months later.