The Command Post - Iraq - The Latest Iraq Snapshot

April 10, 2003

The Latest Iraq Snapshot

Kurdish fighters take northern oil city of Kirkuk as U.S. troops fight die-hard Saddam supporters in fierce Baghdad battles

* Turkey says U.S. vows to remove Kurd fighters from Kirkuk, Turkey says permanent Kurdish force in city unacceptable

* One U.S. Marine dead, more than 20 wounded in four-hour battle at Baghdad mosque where senior Iraqi leaders believed to be holed up

* U.S. says Republican Guard regrouping in Tikrit, Mosul

* Baghdad hospital ransacked, others forced to close doors amid widespread looting in capital

* World Bank says ready to help Iraqi reconstruction

QUOTES

Bush in TV address to Iraqis: "You deserve better than tyranny and corruption and torture chambers...Your nation will soon be free."

Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi: "The transfer of power and the setting up of a new interim or permanent government must be done under the auspices of the United Nations."

U.S. military spokesman in Qatar: "I would say again that we fully expect that there are fierce battles ahead, that there continues to be resistance and that the overall objective of bringing down the regime has not yet been achieved."

EVENTS

-- Thursday --

* New TV station in Iraq to broadcast recorded message from Bush, Blair

* U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz testifies at Senate hearing on post-war Iraq

* Straw meets Kuwaiti Foreign Minister al-Sabah

-- Friday/Saturday --

* Putin, Chirac, Schroeder meet in St Petersburg

* G7 ministers to meet in Washington for talks on global economic conditions and aiding Iraq's economic reconstruction

Tuesday, April 15 --

* Schroeder, Blair meet in Hanover

Thursday, April 17 --

* Annan to attend EU leaders' meeting in Athens, to meet Blair, Chirac, Schroeder

CASUALTIES

* U.S. -- 102 dead, 11 missing

* Britain -- 30 dead

* Iraqi military -- More than 2,320, according to U.S. military. Iraq has given no figures for its military losses

* Iraqi civilians (Iraqi estimates as of April 3) -- 1,252 killed, 5,103 injured

MILITARY ACTION

BAGHDAD

U.S. troops patrol the city meeting sporadic resistance, from troops loyal to Saddam and non-Iraqi fighters; U.S. Marine killed in fierce fighting around mosque where senior Iraqi leaders believed to be holed up

NORTHERN IRAQ

Air strikes rock Saddam's hometown of Tikrit; Kurds seize Khanaqin near Iranian border; Kurdish fighters pour into heart of oil-rich Kirkuk; "Peshmerga" fighters, U.S. Abrams tanks advance toward Iraq's third city of Mosul

U.S. military says Republican Guard joining up near Tikrit and Mosul

Posted By Michele Catalano at April 10, 2003 10:16 AM | TrackBack

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The last one's scary. Under no circumstances should the World Bank (or the IMF for that matter) be allowed anywhere near Iraq. They shouldn't even be allowed to say "Iraq".

Posted by: beachbum at April 10, 2003 10:18 AM

What sounds like tank fire near the Palestine Hotel.

One shot, about a minute ago.

Posted by: CERDIP at April 10, 2003 10:40 AM

more shooting - single shots, farther away. Sound of a tracked vehicle starting up and moving around a bit

Posted by: CERDIP at April 10, 2003 10:45 AM

Howdy, CERDIP,

I just signed into the webcam bec. of you ;-).

DOn't know which cam you're in, but mine shows a tank.

Posted by: Kathleen at April 10, 2003 11:34 AM