April 4, 2003, 1507hrs MSK (GMT +4 DST), Moscow -
By the morning of April 4 the situation on the US-Iraqi
front showed a tendency toward stabilization. As the forward
coalition units reach Baghdad they fulfill their primary
orders outlined by the coalition command. During the four
days of the advance elements of the US 3rd Mechanized Infantry
Division have bypassed from the east the Iraqi defenses
at Karabela and, without encountering any resistance, advanced
around 140 kilometers along the Karabela-Baghdad highway
and reached the Iraqi capital. However, the goals of this
attack will be fully achieved only when the US Marine brigades,
now advancing along the left bank of the Tigris, reach
the southeastern outskirts of Baghdad.
All indications are that the breakthrough by the 1st Brigade
of the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division toward the Baghdad
international airport, although a significant thrust forward,
did not come as a surprise to the Iraqi command. The US
units occupying the airport area did not encounter here
any significant resistance (the airport was guarded by
no more than 2-3 Iraqi companies without any heavy weapons)
nor did they see any indication that the Iraqis were even
planning on defending the airport. Except for the line
of trenches along the airport's perimeter the US troops
found no other defensive structures. The airport was clear
from all aircraft with the exception of a few old fuselages
and a passenger plane (possible belonging to a Jordanian
airline company), which did not have time to leave the
airport before the flight restrictions were announced by
the coalition with the beginning of the war.
Currently the coalition group of forces in the airport
area number up to 4,000 troops, up to 80 tanks and about
50 artillery systems. It should be expected that several
helicopter squadrons from the 101st Airborne Division will
be deployed here in the next several hours.
According to electronic surveillance the coalition command
in Qatar order the attacking US forces to halt on at least
three occasions. The command ordered additional reconnaissance
to be done in the airport area fearing there may carefully
concealed Iraqi units and extensive defenses. The coalition
command issued the final order to capture the airport only
until the coalition reconnaissance units contacted the
command headquarters directly from the airport terminal.
The Iraqi forces protecting the airport offered little
resistance and after a few exchanges of fire withdrew toward
the city. Communication was lost with one of the coalition
units protecting the flanks of the advancing column. It
is still being determined whether this unit got lost or
if it encountered an ambush.
Around 0800hrs the US positions [in the airport area]
were attacked by the militia forces probably from among
the local population. The militia was dispersed by tank
and APC fire.
The 2nd brigade of the [3rd Mechanized Infantry] Division
reached the southern outskirts of Baghdad and is currently
located near the intersection of the Baghdad-Amman and
Baghdad-Karabela highways.
The coalition claims of "completely destroying" the "Media" ("Al
Madina al Munavvara") and the "Hammurali" Republican
Guard divisions of the 2nd Republican Guard Corps received
no confirmation. No more than 80 destroyed Iraqi armored
vehicles were found along the coalition's route of advance,
which corresponds to about 20% of a single standard Iraqi
Republican Guard division.
It has been determined that only a few forward elements
of the "Hammurali" Division participated in combat
while the entire division withdrew toward Baghdad. A single
brigade of the "Medina" division was involved
in combat. The brigade was split in two groups during fighting
and withdrew toward Baghdad and toward Karabela to join
the main forces of the ["Medina"] division.
Equally unimpressive are the numbers of the Iraqis captured
by the coalition. In four days of advance the US troops
captured just over 1,000 people only half of whom, according
to the reports by the US field commander, can be considered
regular troops of the Iraqi army. There are virtually no
abandoned or captured Iraqi combat vehicles. All of this
indicates that so far there has been no breakthrough for
the coalition; Iraqi troops are not demoralized and the
Iraqi command is still in control of its forces.
No significant changes occurred at other Iraqi resistance
areas.
Fighting is continuing at An-Nasiriya where the US troops
are still unable to capture the part of the town on the
left side of the river. Despite of the announcement by
the US command about the "near complete control of
the city", exchanges of fire are continuing and just
during the last day the US forces sustained one killed
and no fewer than three wounded. The US troops are no longer
trying to storm the areas [of An-Nasiriya] held by the
elements of the Iraqi 11th Infantry Division, but instead
use artillery and aviation to methodically destroy these
areas.
The coalition was also unable to take the city of An-Najaf.
The designated brigade of the 101st Airborne Division was
able to take control only of the southern outskirts of
the city and now has halted its advance using artillery
and aviation to destroy the city blocks occupied by the
Iraqi defenders. Intercepted radio communications indicate
at least three killed or wounded US troops.
The Iraqis remain in control of Al-Hillah on the left
side of the river. There are continuing exchanges of fire
and
the city is under a constant artillery barrage.
Nearly all fighting has stopped near Karabela, where the
US forces limit their action to blockading the city and
launching artillery attacks against Karabela’s outskirts.
The available US forces in this region are only sufficient
for the blockade and for now no reinforcements can be expected.
The 4th Infantry Division, currently unloading in Kuwait,
will be able to move into Iraq no sooner than April 6.
Additionally, the “newest” and the most modern
division is actually only a partially-deployed force and
numbers up to 12,000 troops – only about half the
size of the 3rd Infantry Division already fighting in Iraq.
A tense situation remains near the town of An-Divania.
According to radio surveillance, the coalition forces were
forced out of the town and thrown back 3-5 kilometers as
the result of a three-hour-long firefight. The US field
commanders reported 2 lost tanks and up to 5 lost APCs.
Some 7 [coalition] soldiers were killed, 4 are missing
and up to 20 were wounded. During the past 24 hours coalition
medevac helicopters flew more than ten missions to this
area. As an emergency measure a 101st Airborne Division’s
battalion is currently being deployed to An-Divania. The
town is under artillery and aircraft attacks.
With much difficulty the British marine infantry is advancing
near Basra. However, despite their best efforts the British
are only able to attack the outer defensive perimeter stretching
along the Shatt-al-Basra canal. By today’s morning
the British were finally able to take control of the bridge
on the As-Zubair – Basra highway and to establish
positions of the opposite side of the river. During the
fighting one British tank was hit, one APC was destroyed
and up to 10 soldiers were killed or wounded. Now the British
are facing Basra’s main defense lines located 1.5
kilometers ahead of them.
The Iraqis still control a portion of the Fao peninsula.
Today the Iraqi artillery attacked the Al-Fao port. No
casualty figures are currently available.
Radio surveillance reveals Iraqi resistance units fighting
on the territories occupied by the British. A Kuwaiti radio
source reported an attack last night resulting in a fire
on one of the oil wells where the previous fire was just
recently extinguished. Coalition troops deployed in Umm-Qasr
come under regular automatic weapons fire during the night
hours. Radio surveillance indicates that yesterday coalition
troops conducted a massive operation in the town to find
the resistance members.
In the north of Iraq the Kurdish units have stopped their
advance after encountering resistance by the Iraqi troops.
Kurdish field commanders told the US officers they will
not go forward unless the Americans “clear the way” for
them. There is information pointing to certain financial
motives behind this attitude of the Kurdish commanders.
The US Brig. Gen. Osman, who commands the US troops in
this area, told one of the Pentagon officials during a
phone conversation: “for them [the Kurds] to move
forward we literally have to throw a stack of dollars in
front of them!”
At the same time the “Patriotic Union of Kurdistan” leaders
are trying to distance themselves from these [Kurdish]
field commanders, calling them “uncontrollable borderline
gangs” According to them [the Kurdish leaders] these
rogue units number no more than 3000 fighters.
Information coming from Qatar indicates that the coalition
command is seriously concerned with the possibility of
another sand storm. Not only will this delay the blockade
of Baghdad, but it will also leave the coalition without
its major advantage – the aviation, without which
the coalition will be left one on one with a numerically
superior enemy.
(source: iraqwar.ru, 04-04-03, translated by Venik)
