Iraq claims intercepting 21 cruise missiles

Iraqi ground forces have intercepted 21 of the hundreds of cruise missiles fired by the US-led coalition since they began their war on Iraq, Iraqi army headquarters has said.

The army statement received by Al-Jazeera television news did not specify where the missiles were shot down, saying only that the coalition forces had targeted government buildings in several Iraqi cities.

The US-led forces say they have fired hundreds of missiles at Iraqi targets in their campaign to topple President Saddam Hussein.