U.S. troops attack Najaf, bomb Baath headquarters

Reuters | 4/02/03 | Kieran Murray

[kattracks]

U.S. troops attack Najaf, bomb Baath headquarters

By Kieran Murray

NEAR NAJAF, Iraq, April 2 (Reuters) - U.S. troops attacked Fedayeen fighters loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in the central city of Najaf on Wednesday, strafing militia positions and bombing the city's Baath Party headquarters.

This correspondent saw A-10 Warthog ground attack planes fly low over the city and open fire on suspected Fedayeen fighters who have offered stiff resistance to the U.S.-led invasion.

Lieutenant Colonel Chris Holden of 101st Airborne said the city was a centre of Fedayeen resistance.

"The target is to destroy Fedayeen units and anyone else trying to disrupt our lines of communication," he said. "We are going to destroy them."

As the 101st Airborne Division troops moved into Najaf from the south, U.S. and British fighter jets attacked from the air.

Thick columns of smoke rose above Najaf after British Tornado fighter pilots dropped six 1,000 pound (450 kg) bombs on the local headquarters of Saddam's ruling Baath Party, which they said was completely destroyed.

"Those last two hit the target smack down the middle," one of the pilots said in radio communications with U.S. forces.

Officials said the assault would also involve Apache attack helicopters, and that suspected Fedayeen positions were being hit with 30mm depleted uranium rounds - "tank killer" weapons that are capable of blasting through walls.

U.S. military officials indicated they would continue to push into the centre of Najaf -- a city about 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad that is home to one of the holiest sites for the world's Shi'ite Muslims, the golden-domed shrine of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammad.

The attack on Najaf came as U.S. forces surged forward on a number of fronts, encircling Kerbala, another Shi'ite holy city, and seizing a key bridge over the Tigris river near Kut, putting them in control of a major highway leading to Baghdad.

While the advance signalled U.S. troops were surging into new territory, the action around Najaf showed that commanders were still working to secure areas behind the frontlines where sporadic resistance has continued.

In Nassiriya, where civilians have been caught up in bitter fighting between militia fighters and U.S. Marines, U.S. forces on Tuesday began delivering water and ready-made meals in hopes of winning the trust of Iraqi civilians.

04/02/03 03:07 ET