- March 22, 2003, 1300hrs MSK (GMT +3), Moscow - Additional
information about the situation in the primary combat areas in southern
Iraq became available by 1300hrs (Moscow time, GMT +3). The US command
reports about the supposed surrender of the entire Iraqi 51st Infantry
Division turned out to be a complete fabrication. According to our sources
the 51st Division continues to fight on the approaches to Basra and we
can only talk about individual cases of Iraqi soldiers being captured in
combat.
-
- Elements of the US 3rd Infantry Division and the 1st
Marine Infantry Division ended up in an exceptionally difficult situation.
While attempting to encircle Basra from the north and to block An-Nasiriya
elements the 3rd and 1st infantry divisions found themselves wedged between
the defending Iraqi forces. The Iraqi command used this situation and delivered
a decisive counterattack with up to 80 tanks in the open flank of the US
forces, slicing through their combat orders. As the result of this counterattack
these US units are now at risk of being separated from the main coalition
forces and being surrounded.
-
- By 1100hrs MSK Iraqi units advanced into the US attack
front by 10-15 kilometers and Gen. Tommy Franks, the commander of the coalition
forces, ordered his troops to switch entirely to defensive operations.
At the same time he issued orders to the forward-deployed coalition tank
units to halt their reconnaissance operations in the directions of Es-Samaba
and An-Najaf and to move immediately to support the defending US forces.
However, the situation is complicated by the fact that a part of the coalition
tanks are currently disabled due to the lack of fuel and are awaiting the
arrival of fuel convoys. Thus the tanks are able to gradually rejoin combat
in small numbers as the fuel becomes available.
-
- Currently the US and the Iraqi tank forces are engaged
in mobile head-on combat approximately 70-90 kilometers to the south of
An-Nasiriya. Combat orders have been received by the carrier borne aviation
in the Persian Gulf, which until now did not take part in this battle.
At the same time orders were issued to all available coalition strike aircraft
in Qatar to scramble in support of the defending coalition forces.
-
- Intercepted radio communications indicate that during
the morning period of March 22 the US forces lost 10-15 tanks destroyed
or disabled and up to 30 other armored vehicles. Medevac helicopters flew
more than 30 search-and-rescue missions, which suggests heavy coalition
losses.
-
- Our sources report that during the early morning hours
in southwestern Iraq in the vicinity of Akashat the Iraqi forces have engaged
and surrounded a tactical paratroop unit of the 101st Airborne Division.
Some of the surrounded paratroopers were able to break out into the desert,
where they request air support and finally lost their Iraqi pursuers. However,
up to 30 US troops were killed or captured in this engagement. Additionally,
[Russian] radio intercept units report that one the US attack helicopters
providing close air support was shot down.
-
- The top US military command is planning to enhance the
coalition command. During the Joint Chief of Staff meeting its Chairman
Gen. Richard Mayers expressed strong criticism of the actions by the coalition
commander Gen. Franks and proposed to strengthen his headquarters with
several other senior military commanders. Gen. Franks is required to do
everything he can to change the current situation on the front. Analysts
believe that, if during the next 3-5 days Gen. Franks fails to achieve
any significant results, than it is entirely possible that he will be replaced
as the commander of the coalition forces.
-
- Update: The coalition forces
were able to capture a bridge in the suburbs of Nasiriya. Their control
of the Basra airport is tentative at best as large numbers of Iraqi forces
continue to resist with heavy artillery and machine gun fire. Around Basra
the coalition forces have advanced at most by 1.5 kilometers. Gen. Franks
has announced a change in plans: the coalition forces are no longer set
on capturing Basra so not to "create military confrontations in that
city." The coalition forces still do not control Umm Qasr and appear
to be losing territory.
-
- (source: iraqwar.ru, 03-22-03,
translated by Venik)
- http://www.aeronautics.ru/news/news002/news074.htm
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