Daily war report
http://www.aeronautics.ru/news/news002/news077.htm

War in Iraq - situation at An-Nasiriya (update)
March 24, 2003
www.iraqwar.ru

The IRAQWAR.RU analytical center was created
recently by a group of journalists and military
experts from Russia to provide accurate and
up-to-date news and analysis of the war against
Iraq. The following is the English translation
of the IRAQWAR.RU report based on the
Russian military intelligence reports.

March 24, 2003, 0800hrs MSK (GMT +3),
Moscow - As of morning (MSK, GMT +3)
March 24 the situation in Iraq can be characterized
as quiet on all fronts. Attacking coalition forces
have settled into positional warfare, they are
exhausted, lost the attacking momentum and
are in urgent need for fuel, ammunition, repairs
and reinforcements. The Iraqis are also busy
regrouping their forces, reinforcing the
combat units and setting up new defense lines.

Exceptionally heavy fighting continued for
two days and nights near An-Nasiriya. Both
warring sides employed large numbers of
tanks and artillery. More than 20,000 troops
of the US 3rd Motorized Infantry Division,
supported by 200 tanks, 600 other armored
vehicles and 150 artillery pieces, were
opposed by the Iraqi 3rd Army Corps
consisting of up to 40,000 troops, up to
250 tanks, more than 100 artillery, up to 100
mortars and 1000 rocket propelled grenade
launchers (RPG) and anti-tank guided missiles
(ATGM). The two-day battle ended without
any significant results.

The Americans have failed in trying to use
their momentum in capturing An-Nasiriya and
attempted to encircle the town from the west,
where they encountered strong layered Iraqi
defenses and forced to withdraw. The Iraqi
forces used this opportunity to attack the
US flanks with two brigades, breaking the US
combat orders and causing panic among the
US troops. The US command was forced to
halt the advance of its forced toward An Najaf
and once again redirect several tank battalions
to support the attacked units. Nearly 6 hours
was needed for the US aviation to stop the
Iraqi attack and restore combat order of
the US forces.

During the past day the coalition aviation flew
more than 2,000 close support missions in this
area [An-Nasiriya]. "We can only thank God for
having air dominance!" said the commander
of the US 15th Marines Exp. Corps Col. Thomas
Waldhauser in a private conversation with one
of the CNN reporters. Later the CNN journalist
cited the Colonel in a phone conversation with
his editor. The conversation was intercepted.

According to the intercepted radio traffic, the
US forces have sustained up to 40 killed, up to
10 captured and up to 200 wounded during
the fighting near An- Nasiriya. There is confirmed
information about one lost attack helicopter and
an unconfirmed report about a lost ground
attack plane. The US forces have also lost up
to 40 armored vehicles, including no less than
10 tanks. Several intercepted reports by the
US field commanders stated that their troops
are unable to advance due to their soldiers
being demoralized by the enemy's fierce
resistance and high losses.

Four days of continuous advance exhausted
the coalition forces, which now have settled
into defensive positions nearly on every front
to rest and regroup. As of this morning (MSK,
GMT +3) the coalition forces are in control of
the western part of An-Nasiriya but have no
foothold on the left bank of Euphrates.
The left bank of the river is controlled by the
Iraqi forces, which are conducting engineering
works to reinforce their defenses. A part of
the Iraqi forces have been deployed to
strengthen the defense of An-Najaf, where
they expect the next coalition attack.

Around 2300hrs (MSK, GMT +3) March 23
a British platoon was ambushed by Iraqi Special
Forces unit near Basra. Following a powerful
initial artillery barrage the Iraqis engaged the
British in close combat and destroyed several
armored vehicles. After the Iraqis withdrew the
British commander reported up to 8 killed,
two missing and more than 30 wounded
British soldiers. Thus over the 30% of the
unit's troops have been disabled in the attack.
Reinforcements and medevac helicopters
have been dispatched by the coalition to the
scene of the attack.

During the past day there has been a sharp
increase in combat activity in the coalition's
rearguard.

Reports have been intercepted showing at
least 5 attacks on the coalition military convoys,
8 vehicles destroyed by landmines and 2 ambushes.
Iraqi special operation units are mining the
roads, setting up ambushes and conduct search
and reconnaissance operations. The coalition
forces have been ordered to halt the movement
of convoys during dark hours and to provide
each convoy with combat escort units and
air cover.

The situation around the borderline town
of Umm Qasr (population 1,500) still remains
unclear. Radio intercepts and satellite images
show that the town was under constant
bombardment throughout out the night.
The morning photos indicate its complete
destruction. This shows that the coalition
command, fed up with the Iraqi's stubborn
resistance, ordered the complete destruction
of the town using aviation and artillery.
However, according to reports by the British
troops ordered to "clean up" Umm Qasr the
town still contains many pockets of resistance.
The overall coalition losses at Umm Qasr
during the past four days amounted to up
to 40 killed and up to 200 wounded. Currently
it is impossible to estimate the Iraqi losses
at Umm Qasr. As of yesterday's morning the
Umm Qasr garrison consisted of 1600 troops.

The units of the British marine infantry have
failed to establish control over the strategically
important Fao peninsula. After yesterday's
counterattack by the Iraqis the British forces
have been thrown back some 3 to 5 kilometers
and were forced into defensive positions.
Intercepted radio communications indicate
that today the British command will attempt
to regain the lost ground after spending the
night reinforcing their units on Fao with two
additional marine infantry battalions. The overall
British losses on the Fao peninsula during the
past four days of fighting include up to 15 killed
and up to 100 wounded. The Iraqis lost here
up to 100 killed and around 100 captured.

A heated exchange of fire continues near
Basra. The coalition units hesitate to enter the
city and limit their actions to constant artillery
and aviation bombardment of Basra. So far
the coalition forces have failed to completely
surround the city and to cut off the defending
Iraqi garrison from the main Iraqi forces.

The US troops continue landing in northern
Iraqi territories controlled by the Kurds. It is
expected that as early as tomorrow morning
these forces supported by the Kurdish units
will make an attempt to capture the town of
Kirkuk.

Aerial strikes against Iraq continued
throughout the night. A total of up to 1,500
combat flights were carried out by the coalition
aviation. Additionally, B-52 bombers launched
more than 100 cruise missiles from the so-called
"Turkish corridor". Some 150 more cruise
missiles have been launched by the US and
British naval forces.

Intercepted radio traffic indicates another
lost coalition plane this morning. There was
a confirmed loss of a "Predator" unmanned
aerial reconnaissance aircraft.

Any further advances by the coalition within
the next 8-12 hours are unlikely. The coalition
command in Qatar has been in meeting since
the early morning and is expected to come
up with significant changes to the overall
operational plan. According to most experts
the coalition command made a most serious
strategic error by starting the ground phase
of the operation nearly at the very start of
the war. The Americans have violated their
own doctrine where the ground phases of
a military operation coincide in time with the
destruction of the enemy from the air.

The US made serious errors in their estimates
of the Iraq's army strength and combat
readiness. The US military intelligence and
the CIA failed to uncover the true potential
of the Iraqi forces and, in essence, misinformed
the top military and civilian leadership of the
coalition member countries.

(source: iraqwar.ru, 03-24-03, translated by Venik