U.S. Troops Reportedly in Battle at Tikrit

Yahoo! News (Reuters) ^ | April 13, 2003 | Unattributed

[Plainsman]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Marines battled Iraqi forces, including tanks, on the southern outskirts of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s home town of Tikrit on Sunday, a journalist traveling with the U.S. forces told CNN.

Matthew Fisher of Canada's National Post newspaper told the channel in a live telephone call from Tikrit that U.S. forces were pushing into the town on Sunday evening, backed by Cobra attack helicopters and F-18 aircraft.

"It's a very, very significant attack," he said. "They are right now moving into the urban area in force."

Tikrit, 110 miles north of Baghdad, is the last major Iraqi center not yet controlled by U.S. forces.

Saddam's concentration of power among his closest family, and distrust of most people outside his Albu Nasir tribe, meant Tikritis formed the backbone of his most loyal military forces.

Fisher said U.S. forces had swept north overnight to attack Tikrit.

"There is a very large amount of armor moving in. The U.S. jumped forward 160 km overnight and surprised many of the Iraqi forces. At least that's the American interpretation," he said.

"There were two significant battles ... this morning. Iraqi infantry came out of their holes to fight the Marines in their light armored vehicles. About 15 Iraqis died in that exchange, no Americans," he said.

"Aircraft hit five Iraqi tanks which were on the move."

Fisher said U.S. forces believed elements of the Iraqi Republican Guard and the Fedayeen militia were in Tikrit and prepared to defend it.

"The forces have all been told to expect contact. They've all been told that it appears that there's a core of about 2,500 Iraqis who are willing to fight in the town," he said.

He said the U.S. forces planned air strikes to take out Iraqi tanks.

"The general commanding here, Brigadier General John Kelly, told us he had enough air power on hand to darken the skies, he has so many aircraft he can call upon," Fisher said. "There are Iraqi tanks in the town, and they are manned."

[Larry Lucido]

Would this be 4th ID?

[tomahawk]

No.

[Support Free Republic]

Donate to Free Republic, and Save Larry The Lobster!!!
	Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[oceanview]

I don't think its the 4th.

Based on seeing the CNN entrance into the city last night, I don't know that there seemed to be a huge force there, but Tikrit is supposed to have an "underground city" where forces could be hiding.

[Larry Lucido]

U.S. Marines battled Iraqi forces

Thanks. It helps to read the article, I guess.

[Centurion2000]

Time for Mr MOAB .... or Mr Tacnuke.

[cardinal4]

but Tikrit is supposed to have an "underground city" where forces could be hiding.

I have heard this as well. In addition I have heard this same place is where US troops will find WMD..

[Dog Gone]

It appears to be Ollie North's group.

[WarSlut]

Tikrit is supposed to have an "underground city" where forces could be hiding.

One MOAB, comin' up...

[Semper911]

"There are Iraqi tanks in the town, and they are manned."

Not for long.

[elfman2]

"…Tikrit is supposed to have an "underground city" where forces could be hiding."

Sounds silly. Can't hide for ever, and can't mount an effective attack from a few holes in the ground.

[WarSlut]

Time for Mr MOAB .... or Mr Tacnuke.

Beat me to it... anyone else notice how completely deserted Tikrit was last night?

[WarSlut]

Can't hide for ever, and can't mount an effective attack from a few holes in the ground.

The Ba'athists haven't been real good at figuring out where it is they do fight effectively from.

We already know they're obsessed with underground bunkers and complexes. This sounds like the same bunch of delusional, self-destructive madmen we've been dealing with all along.

[blam]

"The U.S. jumped forward 160 km overnight and surprised many of the Iraqi forces. At least that's the American interpretation," he said."

SOB's!

[blam]

"Beat me to it... anyone else notice how completely deserted Tikrit was last night?"

Yup, at least parts of it.

[mass55th]

God speed them to a quick victory with no casualties.

[Grampa Dave]

They have received decades of training from their Russian Whore$, aka Military Advisors. These whackos are still fighting the war of Stalinberg or some other WWII battle won with our materials.

One can only hope that the Syrians and Iranians have gotten the same great advice from their Russian Whore$, aka Military Advisors.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Sounds silly. Can't hide for ever, and can't mount an effective attack from a few holes in the ground.

Apparently, we forgot to tell the Viet COng that those many years ago...

[COBOL2Java]

U.S. Troops Reportedly in Battle at Tikrit

This can't be! Tom Harkin told us that the Republican Guard were paper tigers!