25 March 2003
Poor Weather Slows Coalition Troops Moving on Baghdad
(Central Command Iraq Operational Update) (640) Blowing sand, wind and dust have slowed U.S. and British forces moving toward Baghdad, but the advance that began six days ago is on track and on the timeline set by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) war planners, a CENTCOM general says. "We continue to progress with our operations in support of Iraqi Freedom," Air Force Major General Victor Renuart said March 25 at a 5 p.m. local time (1400 GMT, 9 a.m. EST) briefing from CENTCOM's forward headquarters at Camp As Sayliyah outside Doha, Qatar. "Weather has had an impact on the battlefield with high winds, with some rain, with some thunderstorms, and that's occurred throughout the country. However, that hasn't stopped us," he said. "Our precision, all-weather weapons systems and an aggressive integrated operations plan by our air and land components have allowed coalition forces to maintain and increase pressure on the [Iraqi] regime on all fronts, even in the bad weather. "This effective combination of air operations, direct land-based attack, and precision special operations creates a synergy that is key to the coalition's strategy," he said. Renuart, who is director of operations at CENTCOM, said that despite the weather, coalition warplanes will fly more than 1,400 sorties in combat and combat support roles March 25, targeting Iraqi Republican Guard units, surface-to-surface missile batteries, and key Iraqi regime command-and-control facilities in a time sensitive fashion. "Let me make a point today that we've made a couple of times. It is important," Renuart said. "We continue to work very carefully to ensure that the most precise targeting possible is used." At the same time, Renuart said, the coalition continues to warn Iraqi civilians by way of leaflet drops, Commando Solo airborne radio broadcasts, and broadcasts on five different radio frequencies as well as by word-of-mouth every day that the "Iraqi people should stay at home; should remain calm; should avoid being in or close to any military formations, any military equipment or headquarters, or any buildings associated with regime leadership, command and control, or communications." And it is equally important for civilians to stay off the roads, he said. "I continue to remind the people of Iraq that the battlefield extends across the country now," he said. "We have forces in all areas of the country. It's not really safe for Iraqis to drive to try to flee danger. It's really much safer for them to remain in their homes." Renuart said Iraqi forces attempted to use six satellite jamming systems on U.S. communications equipment, but all have been destroyed by coalition satellite-guided weapons systems. "They've had no impact on U.S. warfighting," Renuart said. Coalition land forces moving northward to Baghdad have engaged in heavy fighting in the vicinity of Al Basrah and An Nasiriyah in the past 24 hours, and have taken some casualties but have inflicted more on the enemy and have destroyed a number of their tanks, artillery pieces and troop formations, he said. "The bottom line is: we're on track. And we'll continue to deal with these regular and irregular forces wherever we find them," Renuart said. He said British forces have secured the port city of Umm Qasr, and coalition forces hope to begin flowing humanitarian aid through the port in several days. He said coalition forces are working with specially trained civilian contractors in putting out oil field fires set by fleeing Iraqi forces. "We are constructing camps for the enemy prisoners of war that we've detained. And in fact [we] have been in discussions with the International Committee of the Red Cross to ensure they will have full access to those facilities," Renuart said. (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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