|
British Engage Column of Iraqi Vehicles
British forces engaged a column of Iraqi armored vehicles â tanks and armored personnel carriers â that filed out of the southern city of Basra late Wednesday, a British military source said. The source said coalition aircraft as well as ground units were hitting the column, which he estimated at about 120 vehicles. The vehicles were moving south along Highway 6. That's a lot of vehicles. Nice of them to come out into the open instead of hiding next to hospitals. Basra had been largely quiet for much of the day, with British forces trading occasional fire with some of the estimated 1,000 die-hard Iraqi loyalists fighting for control of the country's second-largest city. 1,000 people would be about right for 120 tanks, APCs, etc. The British said they were coming to the defense of inhabitants who rose up in the streets against Saddam Hussein's regime. Britain's 7th Armored Brigade â the famed Desert Rats â was said to be awaiting orders to enter the heart of the city. On Tuesday, inhabitants of the mostly Shiite Muslim city started attacking members of Saddam's Baath Party and other Iraqi fighters, who responded by firing mortars at their own people, the British military said. The British, in turn, shelled the mortar positions and bombed Baath headquarters. This is a very confusing battle. I can't figure out why they'd leave Basra and move south unless they were getting their asses kicked in the city and they had to leave or die. Now they leave and die. I guess we won't know for sure until the Brits move in. FOLLOWUP: From al-Guardian: Coalition war planes have launched air strikes on a 120-strong convoy of tanks and armoured personnel carriers heading south-east out of Basra. The column, including artillery and Soviet era tanks, is heading towards Royal marines. Allied commanders called in air support, including RAF harriers, to bomb and strafe the convoy as it headed towards the coalition forces. It is believed the column could signal a tactical retreat in the face of last night's limited uprising in Basra. More likely, it signalled the beginning of an Iraqi counterattack in a bid to regain ground lost over the last two or three days. The convoy was described by witnesses as "sitting ducks." It is understood to have splintered with vehicles heading into the country. British radar spotted the column following the coast road along the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Another "Highway of Death"? Here's hoping... And the same for the ones reputed coming south from Baghdad. Posted by: Steve 2003-03-26 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=11918 |