Free Republic

<p>Capt. Chris Carter winced at the risks his men would have to take. Engaged in a lightning-fast raid for this Euphrates River town, they were battling for a bridge when -- through the smoke -- they saw the elderly woman. She had tried to race across the bridge when the Americans arrived, but was caught in the crossfire.</p>

U.S. Army Battles Its Way Into Hindiyah By CHRIS TOMLINSON .c The Associated Press HINDIYAH, Iraq (AP) - Trading fire with Iraqis hidden behind brick walls and hedges, U.S. Army forces spearheading the drive on Baghdad battled their way into this town 50 miles from the capital Monday and captured dozens of members of Saddam Hussein's vaunted Republican Guard. Iraqi troops at several locations tried to stop the column of tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles as they raced for a strategic bridge over the Euphrates, which leads to Baghdad. Farther south, two U.S. soldiers were killed as the Army engaged...

Dramatic shift in battle lines around Baghdad: DEBKAfile reports: US 101st Airborne units break through Iraqi defense lines and are fighting in streets of Hindiyah south of capital. Rumbles of artillery fire heard in South Baghdad come from these advancing US units. Iraq opens Euphrates-Tigris floodgates in path of US troops advancing on Baghdad

RFE/RL correspondent Ron Synovitz is embedded with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division. He filed this report this morning from the outskirts of the central Iraqi town of Hindiyah, near Karbala. Hindiyah, Iraq; 31 March 2003 (RFE/RL) -- The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division advanced to positions about 50 kilometers southwest of Baghdad today, battling troops from Iraq's Republican Guard at a bridge across the Euphrates River in the town of Hindiyah. The rapid U.S. advance appeared to take Iraqi forces by surprise, with U.S. engineers reaching the bridge and cutting wires attached to...

U.S. Army Battles Its Way Into Hindiyah By CHRIS TOMLINSON .c The Associated Press HINDIYAH, Iraq (AP) - Fighting street by street, U.S. Army troops punched their way into this town Monday in the closest known battle in the U.S.-led advance on Baghdad. The Americans captured several dozen Iraqis who identified themselves as members of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard. Further south, the Army encircled the Shiite holy city of Najaf and said it killed about 100 paramilitary fighters and captured about 50 Iraqis. At least 15 Iraqi troops were killed in the fighting in Hindiyah, 50 miles south of Baghdad...