All roads to Baghdad close

[shockingelk]

The US led coalition in Iraq has announced the closure of all major highways into and out of Baghdad.

Coalition spokesmen have denied the closure has anything to do with threats by insurgents.

The statement said highways one and eight to the north and south of Baghdad had become targets for anti-coalition forces and were damaged and too dangerous to travel. They would be closed indefinitely.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1089596.htm

WP says only "parts" of two major highways close:

BAGHDAD, April 17 -- The U.S. military abruptly closed parts of two major highways running north and south from the Iraqi capital early Saturday, attributing the shutdown to a spate of attacks and bombings by insurgents along the roads

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20692-2004Apr17.html