Major Ross Coffman said the army now held the western half of the planned ring around Baghdad, with the marines in process of joining up the eastern half, and the Tigris marking the boundary between them north and south of the city.

"The army owns from river to river on the west side," said Coffman, who serves at the Tactical Command Post of the Third Infantry Division.

An Iraqi tank battalion was destroyed during the 70-kilometre (43-mile) push around the northwest, Coffman said, and the army reached its objective shortly before 4.00 pm (1200 GMT).

"The brigade engaged with CAS (close air support) and destroyed an Iraqi tank battalion," including 25 tanks, 50 trucks and numerous armoured personnel carriers, he said.

Coffman estimated Iraqi casualties at hundreds of dead or wounded.

SPACE.WIRE