U.S. forces have penetrated into the heart of Baghdad for the first time in the 17-day war, a U.S. military spokesman said on Saturday.
"We now do have troops in the city of Baghdad, we've moved right up the middle. We've seen some sporadic fighting throughout the night and we're continuing to move right up into the heart of the city," Captain Frank Thorp told MSNBC television.
"The members of the first Marine Expeditionary Force and the V Corps continue to take the fight to the enemy. We're taking opportunities to move forward," he said.
According to him, U.S. forces clashed with a small number of Iraq's elite Special Republican Guard and also with a unit of the Republican Guard in the Baghdad area, the U.S. military said. At least four US soldiers were wounded in the firefight.
"We do have reports of engagement with a small number of Special Republican Guard as well as, at this point, we have engaged the Al Nida division of the Republican Guard," Thorp said. "The First Marine Expeditionary Forces actually penetrated the Al Nida division of the Republican Guard as of this morning," he said.
According to some reports, US soldiers have captured the headquarters of the Republican Guard's Medina Division in Suwayrah, about 55 kms southeast of Baghdad.
Two tank companies and an infantry company of the 3rd Infantry Division rolled through the headquarters and quickly took over the entire base. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
