The Iraqi capital Baghdad seemed calm and natural as no signs of celebrations or decorations were seen Tuesday, one day after the coalition gave power to the Iraqi interim government.

Hayder Fadhil Abbass, a member of the Iraqi civil defense force that was formed by the US-led coalition last year, was carrying his weapon and guarding one of the gates leading to the Green Zone. Nothing had changed for him after the power handover.

"Nothing had changed and I didn't see any difference between yesterday and today, for I'm guarding this position, which is taken by the American forces as a headquarters and I receive orders from the American soldiers," said Abbass.

The streets of Baghdad did not seem more crowded compared with the past days, and the Iraqi police were maintaining checkpoints and practicing their duty in a way that brought joy and happiness to Iraqis.

"I feel today that I'm the master of the street and that I have the power to apply the law and punish violators," said Sabir Attya, a police officer.

"The policemen now feel their value as they are working alone and independent from the American forces," he said. "This makes them safer than before because the national resistance would not attack the Iraqi police knowing that they are trying to impose security and preserve the citizens from looters and criminals."

Sergeant Basim Sarhan, a traffic policeman in Al Allawy district, was organizing traffic with a smile on his face.

When asked about the reason behind this smile, he said, "How could I not smile now that I feel I'm valuable as a law man and can apply the law, protect people."

"Today I feel I'm free in my decision and no one controls my destiny," he added.

Hussein Al Zubaidy, a 52-year-old newspaper seller in the street, had an impression that was different from that of the traffic policeman standing near him.

The only thing that changed was that the Iraqi flag was raised on the building of the Palace of Conference, Zubaidy said.

He said that he hoped the new Iraqi government would achieve the Iraqis' wish that security and order are imposed after the power handover.

At Al Firdoos Square, where the American forces pulled down the statue of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein last year, barb wires and cement barriers were removed and people could now pass around it after it was closed for many months.

However, the square seemed empty except for five cleaning workers, who said they were happy for the power handover and the lifting of the barriers.

A 40-year-old lady said she was happy that Paul Bremer, the American civil administrator in Iraq, left Iraq Monday immediately after he handed the power over to the interim Iraqi government.

But she said that the power was handed over to a government appointed by the Americans and, in fact, to John Negroponte, the new US ambassador to Iraq who arrived in the country a few hours after Bremer had left.

Sheikh Omar Mohamed Al Nu'amy, imam and preacher of the 14 Ramadan Mosque in front of Al Firdoos Square, was carrying three rifles into the mosque.

Saying he brought the weapons to protect the mosque against any attack, Nu'amy noted that he did not see any change by the power handover.

US airplanes and patrols were still roaming around and causing all types of trouble in the Iraqi streets, he said.

In Adhamiyah, northern Baghdad, residents said masked attackers clashed with American forces and Iraqi police early Tuesday morning.

An Iraqi lady, who preferred not to be mentioned by name, said some armed men attacked the police station in Al Adhamiyah in the morning.

Armed men also attacked some former residential palaces, which the American forces have taken as headquarters, with mortar rounds, she said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2004)