U.S. tanks and armored vehicles rolled into the Iraqi capital Saturday morning for the first time, making reconnaissance probes as Marines and infantry on the city edges fought with Iraqi forces.
Elements of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division conducted brief incursions into Baghdad. Some units then left the city, heading farther south to conduct search and destroy missions against Republic Guard forces.
The forays came while U.S. forces were moving in a pincer from two sides toward the city.
From the southwest, US soldiers battled Iraqis on the highways leading into the capital. Loud explosions were heard throughout the morning.
The U.S. drive aimed to isolate the capital, spokeswoman Air Force Cpt. Dani Burrows said at U.S. Central Command in Qatar. "They're pretty much cut off in all directions," she said. "Pretty much what you've got here is a choke hold around Baghdad."
"Now they see tanks in their streets and these types of visuals ... That's a very big, deep and not so good psychological impact for the regime," said James Wilkinson, a Central Command spokeman, told CNN.
Though U.S. troops are not immediately on the northern edges of Baghdad, Burrows said Iraqi lines of flight were cut off in that direction.
Facing stiff resistance, Marines were moving slowly Saturday morning but reached to well within 16 kms of Baghdad's edge along Highway 7, which parallels the Tigris River into the city's southeastern neighborhoods. The Iraqis were fighting mostly with small weapons. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
