March 31
— BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said its troops were battling U.S.-led
invasion forces inside Nassiriya and on the city outskirts on
Tuesday, inflicting heavy casualties.
An Iraqi military spokesman speaking on television at almost 2
a.m. local time stressed the fighting was still going on.
"The blood of the enemy is flowing profusely," said the
unidentified spokesman. "God bless your hands. Victory will be
yours. God is by your side."
Reading a statement, he said that over the past 24 hours Iraqi
forces had killed at least 60 U.S. and British troops, destroyed
more than 35 vehicles and downed over five enemy aircraft in battles
and ambushes throughout Iraq.
The U.S. and British military put their casualties at 46 U.S.
killed and 17 missing, and 25 British dead, since the war began on
March 20.
The Iraqi forces fighting in and around Nassiriya included
members of the elite Republican Guard, regular army troops, Arab
volunteers, ordinary people and Baath Party militia, he said.
Nassiriya, which lies some 235 miles southeast of the capital
Baghdad, has been the scene of heavy fighting during the past
week.
President Saddam Hussein had awarded compensation to families of
slain members of the 11th Brigade fighting in Nassiriya, the
spokesman said, quoting a presidential decree. He put the
compensation at about $650 per family.
U.S. Marines fought their way across the city's bridges last
Tuesday but did not take control of the city from mainly
paramilitary fighters. Since then, Iraqi forces have carried out
several ambushes in the area.
The Iraqi spokesman also said U.S. forces had launched an attack
on Najaf in the past few hours. Fighters inside the city, some 100
miles south of Baghdad, had forced them to retreat after suffering
heavy losses, he said.
Saddam had awarded medals to some Iraqi commanders on the
battlefield and others posthumously to several troops who had died
in combat, according to presidential decrees read out television.
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