AUSTRALIAN CAMERMAN FOR ABC KILLED IN SUICIDE BOMBING, 9 OTHERS INJURED

I'm trying to catch up with news involving casualties for journalists in Iraq:

In the Guardian Unlimited on March 24, a colleague pays tribute to Australian Paul Moran, who died in a suicide bombing on March 22:

"Eric Campbell, the Iraq correspondent for Australia's ABC network, yesterday paid tribute to Paul Moran, the freelance cameraman killed in a suicide car bombing in northern Iraq on Saturday.
Campbell, who survived the attack, said the 39-year-old Australian was filming some final shots for a story 50 metres away when a taxi sped up beside him and exploded."

British Journalist Terry Lloyd killed by Allied Forces

I have not yet printed anything regarding the death of journalists in Iraq since the war started, so here is Terry Lloyd's story:

The Guardian Unlimited reported on March 23, that Terry Lloyd, veteran British news reporter, and three other journalists were fired upon by allied tanks on March 22:

"The chief executive of ITN said this afternoon that he had to 'presume the worst' about the fate of the veteran reporter Terry Lloyd amid fears he may have been killed by "friendly fire" from coalition forces in Iraq.
He and his crew - cameraman Fred Nerac and local translator Hussein Othman - went missing yesterday after they were set upon on their way to Basra in two unarmoured vehicles...

A fourth crew member, cameraman Daniel Demoustier, was injured as the crew drove towards the key southern city in two vehicles, but was able to get to safety after a vehicle driven by reporters from the Mail on Sunday happened upon him.

He told Barbara Jones of the Mail on Sunday, who eventually rescued him, that they had been fired on by tanks from the coalition forces at Iman Anas, while they were trying to drive away from a group of Iraqi soldiers.

' Immediately the allied tanks started heavy firing directly at us. Rounds were coming straight at the Jeep, smashing the windows and puncturing holes in the bodywork,' he was quoted as saying.

'Then the whole car was on fire. We were enveloped in flames. It was terrifying.' "

Then on March 24, the Guardian Unlimited reported Lloyd is believed to be dead, and his translator and cameraman are missing:

"Tributes have been made to the ITN news reporter Terry Lloyd tonight, after the news channel said it believed he had died in Iraq...

'We believe his body to be in Basra hospital, which is still under Iraqi control. Two members of his team, Fred Nerac and Hussein Osman, are still missing and ITN so far has no information on their whereabouts or condition.' "

There is a statement by a fourth member of Lloyd's crew who managed to escape, with injury, in this Guardian Unlimited article on March 23:

" 'We were in two vehicles, I was driving the first vehicle with my correspondent Terry Lloyd, and driving back I could see in the mirror that there were actually two Iraqi vehicles following us, and this happened only for a couple of miles distance actually. And they overtook us and they were doing signs and saying thumbs up that way, and it looked like to me that wanted to give themselves up, using us as a cover, or something like that. But that same moment, very heavy gun fire started towards my car from the right hand side and I had to duck down straight away - windows exploding, everything exploding inside the car, a split second and I looked to the right and the right door where my correspondent was and it was open and he was not there anymore. So I really sincerely hope he managed to jump out of the car. I steered the car down into the ditch about 200m further. They kept firing on us and then it took [caught] fire and I jumped out and went in a ditch and then the car blew up completely - we have petrol on the roof and stuff.' "

KUWAIT OFFICIALS BELIEVE ERRANT MISSILE TO BE AMERICAN

Kuwait officials believe an errant missile that struck a shopping mall, injuring two people, was American, and launched nearby from the water, according to the New York Times:

"KUWAIT, Saturday, March 29 — An explosion rocked an empty shopping mall on the waterfront early today in Kuwait City, the capital, sending a huge plume of white smoke towering into the sky. Kuwaiti officials said a missile that had landed in the water nearby was responsible.

Witnesses who gathered shortly after the explosion at 1:45 a.m. local time could see a twisted piece of metal on the esplanade near the shoreline about the size of a wastebasket and bearing the number "5420" in red. The words "place" and "protractor" could also be made out on a shard. Emergency workers put fragments into bags that they took away for analysis.

Despite indications that a missile had struck near the rear entrance to the Sharq mall, by the Sharqiah cinema, witnesses said they did not hear air-raid sirens that would indicate an incoming missile.

Some Kuwaiti officials who examined the fragments said they believed an errant American cruise missile had been fired from the Persian Gulf toward Iraq."

SCORES OF BASRA RESIDENTS FIRED ON BY IRAQI MILITARY

About 1000 civilians were fired on by Iraqi soldiers as they tried to cross a bridge leaving Basra, according to the Guardian Unlimited:

"The crowd was halfway across the concrete and steel span of the bridge when the mortar rounds started falling on the Basra side. Men, women and children screamed as they ran to escape machine gun fire coming from Iraqi positions. A thousand people, maybe more, ran for their lives.
A young woman fell, hit by shrapnel, as a pick-up truck broke cover and charged forward, the machine gun mounted on its roof spewing bullets at the crowd. On the British side, a tank lurched forward, the gunner training his sights on the truck a few hundred yards ahead. One shot and the truck was blown apart, the three people in it killed in an instant.

Mortar shells fell around the British positions, the Black Watch firing back. Most of the crowd made it safely across the bridge, hands raised as they ran towards the British troops, ducking for cover as the British guns moved round to cover their escape. They began moving along the road in the direction of Zubayr. They may take shelter in the town or camp out in the countryside around it.

A young woman, badly hurt, was plucked to safety by a British vehicle and driven back across the lines. Medics rushed to tend the other injured. Then came the clatter of rotor blades and two Lynx helicopters appeared, just visible between the bridge's concrete pillars. They hung in the air for what seemed an age, before releasing their missiles, guiding them into the target on the other side of the canal."

BRITISH SOLDIERS MISSING; AMERICAN KILLED WHEN TANK OVERTURNED

The Islamic Republic News Agency is reporting four or five British soldiers missing in the city of Basra. The agency also reports an American was killed when his tank overturned, and 5 others injured:

"Tehran, March 29, IRNA -- Four or five British soldiers now missing
are believed to have been kidnapped in the southern Iraqi city of
Basra on Friday night, said the Lebanese TV channel Al-Minar and the
Dubai-based Al-Arabiya TV channel on Saturday.
Al-Minar also reported that a US soldier was killed and five
others were injured after a tank overturned in Iraq."

IRAQ MISSILE ATTACK LEAVES TWO INJURED IN KUWAIT

A missile attack on a Kuwait city mall left two injured, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency:

"Kuwait City, March 29, IRNA -- A missile attack on a Kuwait City
mall on Saturday night left two injured, the Kuwait News Agency
(KUNA) quoted the Al-Emiri Hospital director as saying.
The wounded, a Kuwaiti and an Egyptian, suffered minor injuries,
he added.
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry spokesman Yussif al-Mulla
said that the missile was an Iraqi Silkworm capable of hitting targets
150-200 miles away.
He further said that Iraq has concealed its missile launchers in
residential homes in cities."

70 al-Islam soldiers killed in battle

The Islamic Republic News Agency is reporting 70 al-Islam soldiers were killed in a battle with Kurdish Peshmargas in Biareh village:

"Zakhu, Kurdistan prov, March 29, IRNA -- Ansar al-Islam has lost one
of its bases to Kurdish Peshmargas in Biareh village in the vicinity
of northern Iraqi borders with Iran, IRNA reports from northern Iraq.
IRNA correspondent in northern Iraq says Ansar al-Islam's base
was captured by Peshmargas following a two-hour fierce fighting with
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) on Saturday.
The US forces were said to have supported PUK in the operations.
Some 70 Ansar al-Islam forces were killed or injured and some
of them fled the scene in the operations."

End

SCORES OF CIVILIANS KILLED AND INJURED IN BOMBING OF FOOD STORAGE DEPOTS IN BASRA

The Islamic Republic News Agency is reporting that scores of civilians were killed and injured when a food storage depot was bombed in Basra on Saturday. The news agency alleges the bombing of the food storage depot was carried out by coalition forces:

"Shalamche, Khuzestan prov, March 29, IRNA -- Food storage depots in
the southern Iraqi city of Basra were bombarded by the coalition
forces on Saturday.
A large number of citizens, some of them reportedly killed, had
gathered in the bombed spot to receive relief supplies as the horrible
carnage occurred. The injured were rushed to hospitals.
Hospitals of Basra are packed with injured and schools are being
used for medicare purposes.
Basra is the second largest Iraqi city with a population of 1.2
million.
International organizations have warned of major human catastrophe
in the city."

FRIDAY EVENING, SATURDAY MORNING CASUALTIES

In the Guardian Unlimited, the minister of information reported 142 civilians were killed in Iraq in the time period between Friday evening and Saturday morning. In addition, 351 civilians were injured: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2519204,00.html

"Sahhaf told reporters on Saturday that 68 people were killed and 107 wounded in Baghdad alone between Friday evening and Saturday morning. In addition, 74 people were killed and 244 wounded across the rest of the country, he said."

CIVILIANS KILLED AND INJURED BY CLUSTER BOMBS: SAYS IRAQ INFORMATION MINISTER

According to Iraq's information minister, scores of civilians have been killed in Najif from the American use of cluster bombs, the Guardian Unlimited is reporting:

"Iraq's information minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, said yesterday that US forces had fired the bombs at Najaf, killing 26 civilians and wounding 60."

ONE BRITISH SOLDIER KILLED BY FRIENDLY FIRE, 5 INJURED

The Guardian Unlimited is reporting that a British soldier was killed, and 5 British soldiers injured, 2 seriously, by friendly fire on Friday:

"British military officials last night launched their third "friendly fire" investigation in a week after an American A10 tankbuster aircraft shot dead one British soldier and injured five in southern Iraq.
The soldiers were on patrol in two armoured vehicles yesterday afternoon when the incident happened.

Two of the injured men were seriously hurt and the other three were described as walking wounded by military sources.

"We can confirm we are investigating an incident involving possible friendly fire as a matter of urgency," a Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night."

BLAST IN MARKETPLACE IN BAGHDAD KILLS 62

A marketplace in baghdad was hit by errant missiles yesterday, killing 62 and injuring 49, according to Reuters:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=U5ZBGHFPUZUSCCRBAEOCFEY?type=topNews&storyID=2471197
"Iraqis said an air raid on a Baghdad market on Friday evening killed dozens of civilians -- an incident which will further undermine U.S. efforts to win Iraqi hearts and minds.

Dr Enaam Mohammad of Al Noor hospital told reporters on Saturday the toll in the attack had risen to 62 dead and 49 injured. Abu Dhabi television said U.S. cruise missiles may have hit the market and showed a gaping hole on one street and damaged cars.

At U.S. Central Command headquarters in Qatar, Major-General Victor Renuart told a news conference on Saturday the incident was under investigation."

ATTACK ON BA'ATH PARTY HEADQUARTERS KILLS SEVERAL

Reuters, through the Guardian Unlimited, is reporting that an attack on neighborhood off the Ba'ath Party killed at least eight, including several civilians, in Baghdad yesterday:

"Earlier, Reuters reported that an air strike on a Baghdad neighbourhood office of the ruling Ba'ath party had killed eight people, including several civilians.

Residents of the capital's Mansour district told Reuters that the strike took place at around noon local time, destroying several houses as well as the party offices. Witnesses said that the bodies of several civilians, along with those of Ba'ath party militia members, were pulled from the rubble."

50 REPUBLICAN GUARDS KILLED, ACCORDING TO U.S.

In an airstrike southwest of Baghdad, the U.S. military claims to have killed 50 Republican Guards, according to the Guardian Unlimited:

"According to other reports, the US military is claiming to have killed 50 elite Republican Guards in an air strike on 25 vehicles to the south west of Baghdad. Major Hugh Cate told Reuters that 30 Apache helicopters belonging to the 101st airborne division had launched 40 missiles and destroyed armoured personnel carriers and trucks 'with at least 50 dead'."

SUICIDE BOMBING KILLS 5 U.S. SERVICEMEN

North of Najif on yesterday, a suicide bomber killed 5 U.S. servicemen, according to the Guardian Unlimited:

"A suicide bomber has killed five US soldiers north of Najaf, according to reports from Associated Press.
Captain Andrew Wallace confirmed to AP that the five soldiers were members of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. The soldiers were manning a checkpoint on Highway 9 north of Najaf when, a taxi drew up and the driver signalled for help. When five soldiers approached the car it exploded.

Arab television station al-Jazeera reported that the bombing was the work of the Fedayeen, the pro-Saddam militia.This is the first suicide attack since the coalition invasion of Iraq began. American and British troops have been warned of the possibility of suicide attacks with reports in the Arab media that Saddam Hussein has established training camps for such attacks."

AL JAZEERA ENGLISH SITE

The Al Jazeera English site is apparently still not up and running. Anyone have any info?

IRAQI MILITARY DEAD AND WOUNDED

I am having a very hard time finding any information on Iraqi military dead and wounded. If you have any info on this, please feel free to contact me at yocandra42@hotmail.com

ELECTRONICIRAQ.NET

Electronic Iraq is a news portal and an anti-war site that contains the very excellent Iraq Diaries. This is the link to their site:
http://electroniciraq.net/news This is how Electronic Iraq describes itself:

"A brand new online news project, Electronic Iraq -- found at electronicIraq.net -- has been launched by veteran antiwar campaigners Voices in the Wilderness (founded 1996) and respected Middle East supplementary news publishers, the Electronic Intifada (founded 2001).

Electronic Iraq was launched on 8 February 2003 as the U.S. government made clear its determination to go to war against Iraq. Based firmly on humanitarian foundations, the Electronic Iraq online magazine offers News & Analysis, Opinion/Editorial, Iraq Diaries, International Law, Aid & Development, Fact Sheets, and Action & Activism."

ELECTRONICIRAQ.NET

Electronic Iraq is a news portal and an anti-war site that contains the very excellent Iraq Diaries. The is the link to their site:
posted by duranta at 5:34 PM

THE MUSLIM NEWS

The online journal, the Muslim News, based in the UK, is showing photographs of the civilian casualties in Baghdad. Their site is: http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/

The site also contains news and commentary on the war. This site bills itself as the "only, independent monthly, Muslim newspaper in the UK."

REPORTED DEATHS IN BAGHDAD ON THURSDAY FOR PREVIOUS 24 HOUR PERIOD

The Guardian Unlimited is reporting that Iraqi Health Minister Umeed Madhat Mubarak said 36 civilians are dead and 215 wounded in previous 24 hour period from the continuing coalition bombing in Baghdad:

"Earlier the Iraqi health minister said that 36 Iraqis had died and another 215 been wounded in US-led bombing attacks on Baghdad over the past 24 hours."

40 MARINES WOUNDED THIS PAST SUNDAY

In the incident on Sunday, March 23, in which Iraqis who appeared to be surrendering, opened fire and killed 9 marines, it was also reported 40 marines were wounded, it was reported by MSNBC:

"Nine Marines killed Sunday when an Iraqi unit indicated that it was giving up and then opened fire as the Marines approached. U.S. military sources said about 40 others were wounded. The Marines were stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C."

TWO MARINES WERE DROWNED TRYING TO CROSS A CANAL

MSNBC reports two marines were drowned trying to cross a canal:

"Two Marines who drowned while trying to cross a canal. They were identified Wednesday as Cpl. Evan James of La Harpe, Ill., and Sgt. Brad Korthaus of Davenport, Iowa."

ONE AMERICAN SOLDIER KILLED IN BATTLE, ONE KILLED IN ACCIDENT, AND FOUR MISSING IN FIGHTING NEAR NASIRIYAH

MSNBC reports one marine dead and one reported missing in fierce fighting near Nasiriyah.

"Near a junction of roads that lead from Kuwait to Baghdad, the southern entrances to the city have been nicknamed by Marines as “Ambush Alley.”
At least one American was reported killed in the fighting Friday. Another Marine was killed and a second was injured when they were accidentally run over by U.S. armored vehicle as they slept.
A Central Command statement Friday said four other Marines had disappeared."

IRAQBODYCOUNT.Net: Civilian Casualties Count in Iraq

TheIraqbodycount.net reports a minumum of 253 civilian deaths since the war began, and a maximum of 333. This is information gathered through various media sources and the information is run through rigorous examination before its printing. This is their link: http://www.iraqbodycount.org

I will include a permanent link to their site on this web page on the left of the page. They are asking for volunteers to display the web counters with the Iraqi civilian casualty count. The site also provides links to other sites doing similar work online. This is a site that is well worth exploring.

NO CASUALTIES YET REPORTED IN BATTLE NEAR KIRKUK ON THURSDAY, MARCH 27

Coalition and Kurdish forces drove Iraqis off of the frontline near the norther city of Kirkuk with intense bombardment by coalition planes. There are no immediate reports of casualties on either side, reports the Guardian Unlimited:

"There has been an extraordinary scene here this morning on the Kurdish front line in northern Iraq. Last night the Iraqi army staged a tactical retreat of about 15 miles towards the northern city of Kirkuk."

"There are pulverised craters in the ground where the American missiles struck. The debris of war is all around. Iraq army uniforms, helmets, T-shirts and pulverised rubble are everywhere. I think the Iraq army must have decided that staying was pointless and so they retreated as part of Saddam Hussein's wider strategy of trying to lure coalition forces into the cities and in this case, the city of Kirkuk, which is a major target for the coalition.

SMALL BUS CONVOY TRAVELING FROM DAMASCUS TO BAGHDAD ATTACKED BY APACHE HELICOPTOR

Witnesses report seeing three buses attacked traveling from Damascus to Baghdad. This is reported by the Guardian Unlimited:This is the same article that also reports eye-witness accounts of the market blast on Tuesday:

"I can't tell you much about the bus attack, because it happened four hours' drive from Baghdad, except that a friend saw five of the wounded come into hospital in Baghdad and they said there were three buses travelling together from Damascus, heading into Baghdad.

An Apache helicopter was following them for some time and, as they approached a bridge at an interchange, the Apache destroyed the bridge with a missile. There was a collision between the buses. One bus was hit with a missile while some people were still inside. I don't know how many died or were wounded."

These are eye-witness accounts of the market blast, from the same article:

"In al Shaab market, Mohammed al Zubaidi told us he had a shop where he made and sold cushions for car seats. It was the second one from the left as you look at the remains of the building which the bomb hit. It's burnt out but you can see the small compartment which was his.

His assistant, Faris El Bawi, was crushed in the blast and his body incinerated in the fire that followed, along with his 11-year-old son, Saif, who was helping him because his school was closed for the war. "

55 KILLED IN MARKET BLAST IN BAGHDAD

Local hospitals near the market blast which occurred on Tuesday, March 25, are reporting a casualty number of 55 dead in the market blast in Baghdad. It is believed by the Arab community that the bomb was a coalition bomb. I'm not sure if this has been confirmed by the Pentgon. The Guardian Unlimited has this information on the casualty numbers:

"There were grim reports tonight that a missile strike on a busy marketplace in Baghdad had killed up to 55 people and left scores more wounded.
Osama Sakhari, a doctor at nearby al-Noor Hospital, told the Reuters news agency that he had counted 55 bodies, and more than 47 wounded people.

"Most of the injured are children and are in very serious condition," said hospital director Haqi Ismail Razouq. He said the victims began arriving at the hospital from the Shula neighbourhood at around 6.30pm (1530 GMT).

Arabic language television station al-Jazeera also put the death toll at 55, and showed the injured, many of them children, lying in hospital beds with bandages on their heads and faces. One boy had a blood-soaked bandage on his nose, and cried softly as a man and woman sobbed.

A young man with a wounded shoulder leaned forward in his hospital bed, flashing a peace sign at the camera. A mother railed at a Sky News reporter as her baby lay injured in a hosptial bed.

"An Iraqi official told us that the search is still going on for those trapped under the rubble," said the correspondent for al-Jazeera."

Thursday, March 27, 2003

47 Confirmed Dead among Coalition Forces

There are 47 confirmed dead among the coalition forces, CNN reports. CNN has posted a picture of each of the confirmed dead of the coalition forces, with their age, unit, hometown and details regarding the way they were killed. CNN says the list will be updated daily.

The BBC is reporting Several Hundred Tribespeople have Died

The BBC is reporting several hundred tribes people have died in the northern Iraq, near the Kirkuk village, at the hands of Iraqi militia.

Iraqi Tank Convoy Destroyed; No Casualties Yet Reported

14 Iraqi tanks trying to move out of the city of Basra were destroyed, according to Sky News. This action seemed to prompt a walk-out of "scores of civilians" from Basra:

"The apparent civilian walkout from Basra came just after the British military said UK forces destroyed 14 Iraqi tanks and four armoured personnel carriers on Thursday morning...

A British military official said initial reports indicated that "a lot of the column was repelled and destroyed...
The Iraqi convoy, [including the 14 tanks] which was estimated at between 70 and 120 vehicles, came under fierce attack by US and British warplanes."

British War Dead

The Guardian Unlimited is reporting 22 British soldiers dead since the war began. Of that number, only 4 have been killed in actual fighting; the rest were killed either from accidents or friendly fire.

Also, footage of two dead British soldiers was broadcast over Iraqi television:

"Footage of the bodies of two missing British soldiers have been shown by the Arab broadcaster al-Jazeera, to the condemnation of the British military.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the two dead soldiers were "probably" the British servicemen who have been missing since their Land Rover was ambushed near Basra on Sunday. They were thought to have been attached to 7 Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats."

30 U.S. Soldiers Wounded in Friendly Fire

The Guardian Unlimited is reporting 30 U.S. soldiers are wounded, two seriously, around Nassiriya:

"In a further setback, 30 US troops were wounded, two "very seriously", in a friendly fire incident in central Iraq last night.

ITV correspondent James Mates, reporting from Nassiriya, said that two small deployments, sent to deal with an Iraqi advance to the side of the main US position, ended up fighting each other."

Disappearing Links

Folks, I am noticing that some of the links I am creating are disappearing almost as fast as I create them. I want to access as many news sources as possible. I've noticed that Guardian Unlimited links are stable, so I will try to include those links whenever possible. Rueters and BBC, ABC that I have used so far are not stable after the original date, but I'm certain the info I am presenting can be backed up with other news sources. I will continue to include excerpts from the articles that I am getting casualty statistics from.

36 Iraqis dead in Baghdad

The Guardian Unlimited is reporting claims by the Iraqi health minister that 36 Iraqis were killed in Baghdad from coalition bombing during the last 24 hours. Another 215 have been wounded. The dead total includes the 14 reported killed in the market explosion allegedly by a stray, coalition bomb:

Thirty-six Iraqis have died and another 215 have been wounded in US-led bombing attacks on Baghdad over the last 24 hours, the Iraqi health minister claimed today.
Heavy bombing continued in Baghdad overnight, with the city still reeling from a missile attack on a busy marketplace that left 14 civilians dead.

Overnight 30 reported explosions rocked the centre of the Iraqi capital during four separate bombing raids. Aircraft could be heard and anti-aircraft fire lit up the dawn sky. At least one major explosion was reported in the heart of the city centre.

The Iraqi health minister, Umeed Madhat Mubarak, in the same Guardian article, says that 350 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the start of the war:

"Iraqi health minister Umeed Madhat Mubarak said that 350 civilians have died in air raids since the conflict began, including 14 killed in yesterday's apparent stray missile strike on a crowded market.

"They are targeting the human beings in Iraq to decrease their morale," he said in a news conference. "They are not discriminating, differentiating."

He also accused US-led forces of dropping cluster bombs on civilian targets. "In Najaf, they destroyed a medical centre," he said. "They bombed an ambulance and killed its driver."

U.S. war Casualties So Far

Reuters is reporting :

U.S. Says 24 Soldiers Killed in Iraq, 28 Wounded
Thu March 27, 2003 06:16 AM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Defense Department on Thursday identified two soldiers killed in Sunday's ambush of an Army supply convoy, bringing the number of U.S. troops killed in the Iraq war to 24.
The Pentagon said seven U.S. soldiers were officially listed as prisoners of war, and 10 were listed as missing. As of late Wednesday, 28 Americans had been wounded, it said.

Of the 24 Americans killed in the war on Iraq, 19 died in combat, while five died in accidents or other non-hostile situations, officials said.

Rueters also reports Iraqi television had broadcast video of eight corpses that may be U.S. service personnel:

"Iraqi television also broadcast photographs of up to eight bloodied corpses it said were U.S. soldiers.

U.S. defense officials are not confirming the eight soldiers listed as missing were those pictured, but privately, one official said it would be wrong to give the families "false hope" that they are still alive.

Those listed as missing are Master Sgt. Robert Dowdy, 38, of Cleveland, Ohio; Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, of El Paso, Texas; Spc. James Kiehl, 22, of Des Moines, Iowa; Pfc. Jessica Lynch, 19, of Palestine, West Virginia; Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, of El Paso, Texas; Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa, 23, of Tuba City, Arizona; Pvt. Brandon Sloan, 19, of Bedford, Ohio; and Sgt. Donald Walters, 33, of Salem, Oregon."

Wednesday, March 26, 2003

U.S. Paratroopers Now in Northern Iraq for Opening of Northern Front

According to Reuters, 1000 U.S. paratroopers landed in northern Iraq, at an undisclosed air field location, to open the northern front. They met with no resistance:

"The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said elements of the Army's 173d Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, did not face resistance as they parachuted into the airfield in the Kurdish-controlled northern part of Iraq.

"This is the beginning of the northern front," an official told Reuters."

Other Battle Reports

The BBC reports coalition forces fired intense artillary towards the city of Nasiriya. No reports of Iraqi casualties that I have found yet. It was reported 20 Marines were injured in fighting just south of Nasiriya. No reports I have found on the extent or severity of any of the injuries.
Also, from the same report:

"There was also more fighting near Basra on Wednesday afternoon when coalition warplanes attacked a huge convoy of tanks and armoured personnel carriers which headed south-east towards the al-Faw peninsula."

No reports of casualties yet in that battle. The Guardian Unlimited quoted British sources as saying this Iraqi convoy were "sitting ducks", so I expect the casualties will be high:

"The convoy was described by witnesses as "sitting ducks." It is understood to have splintered with vehicles heading into the country. British radar spotted the column following the coast road along the Shatt al-Arab waterway".

Heavy Iraqi Casualties between Najaf and Carbala

The BBC reports of Iraqi dead range from 300 to 650 in heavy fighting between Najaf and Carbala today. There are no reports of Allied casualies:

"In one of the biggest engagements of the war so far, Iraqi troops reportedly sustained the heavy losses on Tuesday after ambushing the US 7th Cavalry between Najaf and Karbala some 160km (100 miles) south of Baghdad.

The BBC's Michael Voss at Central Command headquarters in Qatar says a separate Iraqi advance has also been halted to the east of the Euphrates river, and artillery strikes called in.

Najaf and Karbala: Shia holy cities
A US defence official said Iraqi ground forces attacked the US 7th Cavalry with rocket-propelled grenades.

There are conflicting reports about the number of Iraqi dead - ranging from 300 to 650. There are no reports of US casualties and the figures cannot be independently confirmed.

The French news agency AFP, quoting Major John Altman, said US troops backed by tanks killed 650 Iraqis"

MSNBC reports total of 42 Allied Battle Zone deaths as of Today.

MSNBC says 53% of that number have died from "accidents". 34% have died from enemy fire. 11% have died from friendly fire.

Reports: 100 killed near Halabja

In the Guardian Unlimited today, it is reported that he Patriotic Union of Kurdistan reports 100 fighters were killed near this northern village.

The Guardian Unlimited reports:

"There are two wars being fought in northern Iraq - one against Ansar al-Islam's guerrillas next to the town of Halabja, and another against Saddam Hussein's forces encamped on the high ridges to the east, overlooking Kurdish-controlled territory.

Strangely, the Bush administration appears to regard the battle against Ansar as the more important of the two.

This year it claimed that Ansar was linked to Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida network. The Pentagon is now trying to wipe Ansar out, joining forces with the main Kurdish faction, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which controls the rest of the area. Over the past four days the Pentagon has fired nearly 100 missiles deep into Ansar territory.

Yesterday US warplanes dropped at least 12 bombs from 7am onwards on caves in Shiram mountain where the guerrillas are thought to be sheltering. But this offensive, coordinated by US special forces, fails to take into account the fact that hundreds of civilians still live in the shabby villages under Ansar's control.

They include Mrs Baqi. "We don't mind if the Ansar fighters get killed. But we are innocent civilians," she pointed out, holding her nine-month-old daughter Lanja. "We are now very afraid that America is going to bomb us...

So far the US attack appears to have left Ansar's 650-700 fighters largely unscathed. The PUK's security chief, Khasraw Mohammad Gul, yesterday said 100 fighters had been killed. But most of the casualties appear to have come from a neighbouring Islamic group, Komala, after a cruise missile plunged into its military garrison."

Casualties as of Wednesday, March 26

The Guardian Unlimited reports these casualty statistics:

Casualties

Wednesday March 26, 2003
The Guardian

US
Killed in action, 18; accidental, "friendly fire" and other, 8; prisoners of war, 7

UK

Killed in action, 2; accidental and friendly fire, 16; Missing: 2

Iraq

Soldiers, at least 150 (source: US and news reports)

prisoners of war, 2,000 (source: coalition)

Civilians (dead), 157 (source: Iraqi government);

(injured), 1,100 (source: Iraqi government)

Others

Journalists, 2 dead; two missing

Non-Iraqis, at least 6

Reports of "Trail of Death" as Allies storm through Nassiriya

Rueters is reporting a trail of death as allies stormed through Nassiriya on Wednesday. Rueter's correspondent Sean
Maguire said he saw two dozen corpses "littering the roadway" north of the town of Shatra. Also, the Iraqi information minister said 500 have been wounded and 200 homes destroyed in Nassiriya:

"Reuters correspondent Sean Maguire said U.S. Marines pushing north from the southern town of Nassiriya left a trail of death as they fought off sporadic Iraqi attacks along the way.

Maguire saw about two dozen corpses among wrecked vehicles littering the road north of the town of Shatra, including a bus with its back end blown off and bodies hanging out of the back.

Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf said more than 500 people had been wounded and 200 homes destroyed as U.S. forces stormed through Nassiriya.

In the north, Reuters correspondent Mike Collett-White watched U.S. planes pound Iraqi frontlines near the town of Chamchamal in Kurdish-controlled areas.

The Najaf engagement was one of the fiercest of the war launched by President Bush to oust Saddam and strip Iraq of alleged weapons of mass destruction. Baghdad denies having any such weapons."

Allies Claim 500 Iraqi Military Casualties in Battle Over Najif

Iraq minister claims only 16 killed, as both sides use casualty numbers for propaganda, in this Guardian Unlimited report:

"Up to 500 Iraqis have been killed in a two-day sweep past the Shia holy city of Najaf by the US push to Baghdad 100 miles to the north, American forces claimed yesterday.

Tanks and mechanised units opened fire when Iraqi tanks and anti-aircraft weaponry, bolstered by "thousands and thousands" of other weapons, were turned on the US 3rd Infantry Division.

Command Sergeant Major Kenneth Preston, of V Corps, said US forces opened fire on meeting "a lot" of resistance near Najaf. He attempted to play down the Iraqi defences, saying: "This could have been very ugly, but they're not very motivated. I think a lot of them wanted to go home."

There was no independent confirmation last night of the US claim. Sgt Maj Preston's pointed remarks on the low morale of the Iraqi troops sat uneasily next to his claim that they had offered strong resistance."

Then, from the Iraqi side:

"To compound the confusion, Iraq's information minister claimed that 16 Iraqis had been killed in the 24 hours up to last night. But Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, who is unlikely to have a full picture of what is happening in Iraq, has been playing down the number of casualties to bolster the morale of his forces.

While there may be scepticism about the US headline, there is no doubt that Iraqis have suffered heavy casualties as the US forces thrust towards Baghdad."

Civilians Killed in Market Blast in Baghdad

Civilians have been killed in a market blast in Baghdad. The Guardian Unlimited is reporting a bomb hit an open-air market in Baghdad yesterday, killing at least 12 to 15 people, injuring at least 30. The article reports western journalists counted at least 15 bodies:

"Iraq today claimed "many, many" civilians were killed after coalition bombs or missiles hit a market in Baghdad.
An Iraqi defence ministry spokesman said there were at least 12 dead and 30 injured in the air raid on a heavily-populated area in the north of the city.

The scene of the explosion, in the Al-Shaab district, is 15 minutes from the centre of Baghdad. Witnesses described hearing a low flying aircraft followed by two loud explosions.

Western journalists who were on the scene in minutes said they had counted at least 15 bodies.

The Arabic satellite television channel al-Jazeera showed several charred cars at the scene and at least one bloodied body was being carried away.

Hundreds of people stood in front of what appeared to be a bombed-out building, some with their firsts in the air and shouting: "There is no God but God."

In London, the prime minister's official spokesman said that Downing Street was seeking information about the Baghdad market blast, but at this stage did not know the cause of the explosion."

Two British Soldiers Killed by Friendly Fire

This happened Tuesday morning outside of Basra, according to the BBC

Tuesday, March 25, 2003

New English Al Jazeera link

A new link: http://english.aljazeera.net/

Retired Army General says Casualties Will be High in Fight for Baghdad

Rueters interviewed retired army General Barry McCaffery, who says casualties for the allies could be as high as 3000 in the battle for the city of Baghdad:

LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S.-led force in Iraq risks as many as 3,000 casualties in the battle for Baghdad and Washington has underestimated the number of troops needed, a top former commander from the 1991 Gulf War said on Monday.
Retired U.S. Army General Barry McCaffrey, commander of the 24th Infantry Division 12 years ago, said the U.S.-led force faced "a very dicey two to three day battle" as it pushes north toward the Iraqi capital.

"We ought to be able to do it (take Baghdad)," he told the Newsnight Program on Britain's BBC Television late on Monday.

"In the process if they (the Iraqis) actually fight, and that's one of the assumptions, clearly it's going to be brutal, dangerous work and we could take, bluntly, a couple to 3,000 casualties," said McCaffrey who became one of the most senior ranking members of the U.S. military following the 1991 war.

"So if they (the Americans and British) are unwilling to face up to that, we may have a difficult time of it taking down Baghdad and Tikrit up to the north west."

McCaffrey said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had misjudged the nature of the conflict. Asked if Rumsfeld made a mistake by not sending more troops to start the offensive, McCaffrey replied: "Yes, sure. I think everybody told him that."

Casualties in Basra

I hope to utilize this blog to post as much info as I can gather, and hopefully as accurately as possible, the casualties of this war, from all of the countries involved, including civilian casualties. If anyone has any info on casualties, please e-mail me. This site is still under construction, so please bear with me.

Here is an article from the Khilafah.com on war casualties in Basra on the civilian and Iraqi side:

Allies silent on claim of dozens killed by bombing

uploaded 25 Mar 2003

Battle for key city leads to 'massacre of children' claim
Allies silent on claim of dozens killed by bombing

Horrific images of Iraqi civilians reportedly killed by the coalition bombing of Basra were being shown on the Arabic news station al-Jazeera yesterday. Several Arab media outlets described the civilian deaths there as a "massacre".
Al-Jazeera's footage included an Iraqi child with the back of its head apparently blown off and wounded people covered in blood being treated on the floor of a hospital.

It apologised for showing disturbing pictures but said: "The world should know the truth and what is going on."

The Iraqi information minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, claimed that 77 civilians had been killed and 366 wounded in Basra, mainly by cluster bombs.

Al-Jazeera, an influential channel seen throughout the Arab world, put the number of civilian dead at 50.

The Lebanese newspaper as-Safir claimed that US missiles had been used to "assassinate the children of Basra". Other Lebanese papers made similar claims of casualties from bombing by F-16 fighter planes.

The Pentagon would not comment on the reports. At a news conference in Kuwait, Major-General Daniel Leaf of the US Air Force said the coalition forces were doing all they could to avoid such deaths, but added that he could not confirm or deny the specific Iraqi claims.

There was no official confirmation that the coalition had bombed Basra, but repeated explosions in the city's outskirts could be heard in the area.

British forces approaching Basra found a huge arsenal of Iraqi weapons including two Russian-made missiles, each 6 metres long, nine warheads, and giant anti-shipping mines, according to a reporter with 7 Armoured Brigade.

The weapons were in dozens of bunkers at a place marked on maps as the Zubayar heliport.

The British troops met heavy Iraqi resistance as they reached the suburbs of Basra. Reporters with 7 Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats, said they had encountered barrages of rocket-propelled grenades and artillery, mortars and machine-gun fire.

More than 60 Iraqi soldiers were reported killed, and three Iraqi T-55 tanks were destroyed in the fighting, which began to get fierce on Saturday night.
About 70 Iraqi prisoners of war were taken.