Other Arab nationals fighting alongside Iraqis: US officers

NEAR BAGHDAD (AFP) Apr 06, 2003
Egyptians, Jordanians, Saudis and Syrians are fighting alongside Iraqi troops against US forces moving on Baghdad, using tactics including suicide bombings which left two marines dead, US officers said Sunday.

One officer with the 1st Marine Division told AFP US troops fought a 10-hour battle with hundreds of such fighters southeast of Baghdad on Friday.

"We were ambushed twice, and there were four suicide car bombings against tanks," the officer said. "There were nine casualties, including two marines killed."

The officer said contact was initially with some 150 black-clad fighters, but by the end of the battle around midnight (2000 GMT) some 300 to 400 had been killed.

"They kept bringing them in by the busload," he said. "It's a whole conglomerate of Islamic freedom fighters."

From prisoners, they were revealed to be Egyptians, Saudis and Syrians, the officer said.

Another officer, Major Rod Legowski, First Marine Division liaison to the US Army's 3rd Infantry Division, said, "Egyptians, Jordanians and Syrians are in the fight alongside Iraqis," as well as other nationalities he did not name.

SPACE.WIRE