Free Republic

0758: US military official says about 500 Iraqi troops were killed trying to recapture a key bridge over the Euphrates River, 30 km (19 miles) south of Baghdad.

Biggest push for Baghdad By Bob Graham in Baghdad, David Taylor and Justin Davenport, Evening Standard 2 April 2003 American ground assault forces achieved stunning successes on two fronts in a decisive push for Baghdad today. In the first move, troops completely encircled the city of Karbala, south-west of the capital. And in a separate action to the south-east, US marines fighting the Republican Guard near the city of Kut took a vital bridge over the Tigris, hailed by one senior officer as "the last big bridge we needed" before Baghdad. The successes paved the way for US troops and...

<p>Capt. Chris Carter winced at the risks his men would have to take. Engaged in a lightning-fast raid for this Euphrates River town, they were battling for a bridge when -- through the smoke -- they saw the elderly woman. She had tried to race across the bridge when the Americans arrived, but was caught in the crossfire.</p>

Dramatic shift in battle lines around Baghdad: DEBKAfile reports: US 101st Airborne units break through Iraqi defense lines and are fighting in streets of Hindiyah south of capital. Rumbles of artillery fire heard in South Baghdad come from these advancing US units. Iraq opens Euphrates-Tigris floodgates in path of US troops advancing on Baghdad

RFE/RL correspondent Ron Synovitz is embedded with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division. He filed this report this morning from the outskirts of the central Iraqi town of Hindiyah, near Karbala. Hindiyah, Iraq; 31 March 2003 (RFE/RL) -- The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division advanced to positions about 50 kilometers southwest of Baghdad today, battling troops from Iraq's Republican Guard at a bridge across the Euphrates River in the town of Hindiyah. The rapid U.S. advance appeared to take Iraqi forces by surprise, with U.S. engineers reaching the bridge and cutting wires attached to...

This [move] sugests CENTCOM has abandoned an advance up the Tigris River...