US marines cross Tigris, cut off Iraqi division: officer

SOUTH OF AL-KUT, Iraq (AFP) Apr 02, 2003
US Marines crossed the Tigris river Wednesday and cut off the elite Baghdad division of the Republican Guard during a major battle south of the Iraqi capital, an officer said.

"The final push to Bagdad is now on," said the senior officer with the First Marine Division.

"The Baghdad division of the Republican Guard is irrelevant. The 3rd and 4th divisions of the Iraqi army are in the bag."

He said Iraqi soldiers were "voting with their feet" and fleeing the US armour as it advanced near Al-Kut, around 150 kilometres (90 miles) southeast of the Iraqi capital.

SPACE.WIRE