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Kerbala SecuredWed, April 02, 2003Source: Guardian UnlimitedUS forces today secured the central Iraqi city of Kerbala and a strategically important Tigris river crossing in their push to BaghdadUS forces today secured the central Iraqi city of Kerbala and a strategically important Tigris river crossing in their push to Baghdad. Commanders of the US 3rd Infantry Division had expected a day-long battle to seize the perimeter of the city, which is 70 miles to the south of Baghdad, but the operation lasted three hours.Rather than tackling Iraqi soldiers inside the US soldiers secured all major exit routes and continued the drive north. US Marines later took control of the main Highway 6 from Kut to Baghdad - the eastern flank of the advance - and seized a Tigris river crossing one senior officer said was the "last big bridge" needed for an advance on the Iraqi capital. He said the Baghdad Division of Iraq's Republican Guard, based at Kut, was now "irrelevant". Reuters correspondent Sean Maguire described the push as a "choreographed move" on the road to Baghdad. |
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