I decide to chage the format slightly, putting the most recent events at the top of each Weblog entry. I have included events for Thursday (Iraq time), Wednesday, and updates from Tuesday.

April 3, 2003 – Thursday
Units of Iraq's Republican Guard were moving south from Baghdad on Thursday to try to block a U.S. advance and to reinforce positions around the capital's airport – Luke Baker, Reuters
U.S. forces, about 19 miles from the southern outskirts of the city, were firing rockets north at the Iraqi positions – Luke Baker, Reuters
BBC 0030: Large explosion reported in central Baghdad, with anti-aircraft fire.
BBC 0140: Republican Guard units reported moving south from Baghdad to reinforce positions near airport, US military sources say.
The Arabic broadcaster Al-Jazeera has suspended reporting from Iraq after Baghdad barred two of its correspondents from reporting there. - BBC
US Hornet Warplane crashes in Southern Iraq - BBC 3:30 GMT

April 2, 2003 – Wednesday
1st Marine Division in Al Kut, Diwaniyah & Central Mesopotamia
1st Marine Division takes a bridge at al Kut – NBC News
American troop movement began before dawn. thousands of marines crossed the Tigris at Numaniyah, near Al Kut, and continued on the north bank toward Baghdad. – Thomas Fuller, International Herald Tribune, reporting from Doha
BBC David Willis :: 0545GMT Yesterday the US Marines that I'm with crossed the Saddam Canal - a key eastern crossing point. Republican Guards were massing there. Our convoy became embroiled in a large fire-fight lasting about 45 minutes. The Marines fired cannons and mortars and rockets. The truck that I was travelling in arrived before the Marines had time to cover the bodies, and I counted half a dozen by the roadside alone. We're now moving on after another hectic night. We're expected to go head to head with a key unit of the Republican guard.
Troops rolling through Numaniyah – Associated Press
Troops and equipment were continuing to pour across the Tigris after sunrise this morning. Dexter Filkins, New York Times with the 1st Marine Division
U.S. Marines launched the final stage of their long push toward Baghdad today, sending thousands of troops across the Tigris River. Units from the 5th Marine regiment were the first to cross the Tigris, while the 3rd battalion, 7th Marine Regiment held the bridgehead. 1st battalion, 7th Marine Regiment seized an abandoned airfield less than 10 miles south of the Tigris around 4 p.m. They began the day in the Al-Fawar region, east of the city of Nafja. - Jonathan Finer, Washington Post Staff Writer
The Marines' next objective is likely to be the Republican Guard's Al Nida Division, which is expected to be a more formidable obstacle than was the Baghdad Division, Washington Post correspondent Peter Baker reported from Marine field headquarters
BBC CentCom, Qatar :: Michael Voss :: 1623GMT Coalition forces are now reported to be within thirty kilometres of Baghdad. But Brigadier General Vince Brookes has cautioned against being overoptimistic.
An Nasiriyah
2nd Battalion, 1st Marines are in Nasiriyah – NBC News
BBC Nasiriya :: Adam Mynott :: 0522GMT The operation to rescue Jessica Lynch looks to have been very sophisticated. The US marines set off very shortly after it became dark, in a huge convoy of 30 or 40 vehicles. Their intended target was a suspected Ba'ath party safe house, somewhere just south of the river Euprhates in Nasiriyah - they were also going to take a bridge near by. This was meticulously timed to coincide with an operation in the north of the town to rescue Jessica from the hospital where she was being held. The hope was that action down near the bridge in the south would draw Iraqi militia down to mount a defence, while the Delta forces went north to rescue her.
BBC Nasiriya :: Andrew North :: 1232GMT I've just arrived at the Saddam hospital in central Nasiriya, where doctors say they've registered almost 250 deaths since the fighting in the city started. Almost all of them are as a result of American bombing, and most are civilians. The doctors say many schools and homes have been hit which were near military targets in the city, and that they have treated more than 1000 injuries. This is where the US army solider Jessica Lynch was found earlier today by US Special Forces. I've been told she was being treated by the hospital staff, and when the US Special Forces came, they the doctors led the soldiers to her in her bed.
In Baghdad
US Bombs phone exchanges in Baghdad
US bombs kill several at a Red Crescent maternity hospital
Buses were running, but street traffic was much less than normal. – Washington Post
100 Yemenis join the Special Republican Guard in Baghdad
Al-Jazeera, an Arab satellite TV station, said about 30 Yemenis arrived
Iraqi Government says 677 civilians killed and 5036 wounded in war so far
Special Operations raid two days ago that seized a major dam at Haditha on the Euphrates north of Baghdad – Washington Post
A statement attributed to Saddam Hussein declared that "victory is at hand" – Washington Post
BBC Andrew Gilligan :: 0625 GMT I don't think we should read too much into the fact that he didn't appear on TV on this occasion. I've been coming to Baghdad for three years and it's extremely common for Saddam to have his statements read out by other people, particularly the Information Minister
Najaf
Infantry battalion of 101st Airborne moved into Najaf at noon. US claims control – NBC News
BBC CentCom, Qatar :: Michael Voss :: 1045GMT US troops fighting for control of the holy Shiite city of Najaf are reported to have come under fire from Iraqi forces who've positioned themselves inside the Tomb of Ali. This is one of the most important religious shrines in the world for Shiia muslims. According to a statement issued at central command, Coalition forces are refusing to return fire. CentCom described this as another example of the Iraqi regime placing sacred sites at risk.
James Dwyers of the New York Times saw no shooting from the Tomb of Ali in Najaf today. He did see US troops cordon off the building before allowing anyone to enter. They greeted the Imam. He also said a US helicopter was shot down near Karbala.
Karbala
Iraqi officials brought press to Hilla to show civilian injuries. They said 280 wounded and some killed
3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry not yet in battle in Karbala – NPR’s Morning Edition
A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter was by small-arms fire near Karbala Wednesday, killing seven of the 11 soldiers aboard – Associated Press
US troops had also seized control of a dam on Lake al Milh – Thomas Fuller, International Herald Tribune, reporting from Doha
BBC near Kabala :: Gavin Hewitt :: 0550 GMT During the night, we witnessed wave after wave of bombers followed by repeated salvoes from rocket launchers. All aimed at Republican Guard units close to the city of Kabala.
Army forces captured a bridge over the Euphrates River at Mussayib – Associated Press
With a brigade serving as a blocking force to the southeast and southwest of Karbala to bottle up any attackers from the rear, other units of M1 Abrams tanks, Bradleys and hundreds of other tracked and wheeled vehicles moved around to the west of the city. Then it veered east above the northern end of Karbala and drove toward a bridge over the Euphrates at Musayyib. By shortly after 6 p.m., the 3rd division’s 1st Brigade was reported by commanders to have crossed the bridge. - William Branigin, Washington Post embedded with 3rd Infantry
3rd Infantry crossed the Euphrates some hours after the Marines crossed the Tigris – Washington Post
Armored columns of the Army's Third Infantry Division moved through the Karbala Gap early today. Moving at night and supported by artillery barrages and jet and helicopter strikes, at around 6 a.m. local time the division's First Brigade crossed the Husayniya Canal, which flows from the Razazah Lake west of Karbala into the Euphrates River. One of the brigade's battalions attacked the southern outskirts of Karbala. – Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, with the 3rd Infantry
Infantry Division's 3rd Battalion, 15th Regiment moving through light contact with a few ambush positions after breaking through at Karbala – Washington Post
Three units of AH-64 Apache helicopters from the 11th Aviation Regiment flew close air support for the 3rd Infantry Division as it pressed north through the Karbala Gap. Included 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment. they came upon a cluster of armored vehicles, including seven Iraqi T-72 and T-55 tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery pieces outside an industrial complex by Musayyb. They flew away at about 11 a.m. local time. – Washington Post
American forces fought their way to within sight of Baghdad's skyline Wednesday – Associated Press
Some reports said advance units of U.S. ground forces were less than 20 miles from Baghdad overnight - Washington Post
BBC Central Iraq :: Gavin Hewitt :: 1936GMT From where I am, the glow in the sky is the glow of the lights of the capital. We understand that there are some troops within 20 miles of the capital. [This would put them in Iskandariyah. So far no reports of fighting or US troops in or near Iskandariyah.- Ed.]
Basra and Southern Iraq
British soldiers ringing Basra have begun regular raids into the city, pushing deeper and deeper. Baath Party remains in control of Basra – Washington Post
BBC Umm Qasr :: Ryan Dilley :: 1130GMT The Iraqi workers at the port of Umm Qasr have once again begun to report for duty
BBC Caroline Wyatt :: 1425GMT The British are still encircling Basra on three sides. They are exchanging artillery fire after they came under attack this morning. Three mortar rounds were fire by the Iraqis from the outskirts of Basra. They responsed using Challenger 2 tanks.
Northern Iraq
Turkey allows US military supplies to go to Northern Iraq – NBC News
Late Wednesday, Pentagon officials said the Iraqis were sending more Republican Guard units to the south
fresh bombing around Mosul – Associated Press
U.S. B-52 bombers hit Iraqi troops between the cities of Dohuk and Mosul. Reuters reported observing air strikes all along the border with Kurdistan north of Kirkuk – Washington Post
BBC Sulaymaniyah :: Jim Muir :: 0340GMT To the east of where I am, there's been a big operation going on since last Friday to destroy Ansar al-Islam, which has attacked Kurds. Yesterday US special forces and the Iraqi Kurds pretty much wrapped that up. They believe quite a few of them were Arabs who had been to Afghanistan.
Kuwait and Elsewhere:
US Army rhetoric from Doha, Qatar: "We will approach Baghdad," he said. "The dagger is clearly pointed at the heart of the regime and will remain pointed at it until the regime is gone. The dagger remains firmly in our grasp and under good control. When it's time to be applied further, it will be applied further." They said the Republican Guard's Baghdad Division had been "destroyed" by the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in fighting near the town of Kut
Iraqi rhetoric from Baghdad: "They lie every day," he said of coalition forces. "Therefore, what they say or allege about success and advances in An Najaf and Karbala are illusions. They also said they crossed the Tigris, which is another lie. As is what they said about Al Kut."
A protest in Quetta, Pakistan drew 25,000 protesters

April 1 - Tuesday
American-led forces captured half a dozen Iraqi generals and are questioning them about chemical weapons and tactical battle information. A general captured in the last 48 hours gave tactical information that will give coalition forces an advantage, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks said. – Associated Press
West Of The Euphrates And South Of Karbala
Soldiers from A Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment rested following Monday's battle at Hindiyah against Republican Guards and other Iraqi loyalists. – Associated Press
American forces attacked a Republican Guard division tonight at Karbala – Thomas Fuller, International Herald Tribune
Farther To The East And South Of Kut
About 75 miles east southeast of Diwaniyah, elements of the 1st Marine Division looked north to Kut. Iraqi troops were believed to be deployed there. – Associated Press
Earlier in the week, a journalist reported that the 1st Marines were welcomed as "liberators" in Qalat Sukkar, where they secured an important air base and townspeople led them to a huge cache of weapons. – Associated Press
Several thousand marines positioned south of Baghdad were veering east and pushing toward the Tigris River to confront a Republican Guard division reported to be massing southeast of the capital. – Thomas Fuller, International Herald Tribune
“Tribesmen'' had taken part in an attack with troops from the First Marine Expeditionary Force near the towns of Diwaniya and Shatra – Thomas Fuller, International Herald Tribune
Heavy armor and troops from the First Marine Division crossed the Tigris river overnight and continued to move north along the east bank of the river toward Baghdad. Lead elements of the First Marine Division approached the Tigris River, which bisects the Iraqi capital, late Tuesday. Much of the convoy crossed a large irrigation channel that runs south of the city behind a vanguard of warplanes and attack helicopters that cleared the way. Iraqi villagers in the area on Tuesday said some soldiers had fled all the way to the capital and others had simply gone home to their farms. As night fell Tuesday, the Marine column shut out its lights but kept moving forward in almost total blackness. The eastward turn by the marines Tuesday followed a 40-mile northward trek on Monday, taking them out of the desert and into Iraq's more densely populated agricultural heartland. In the village of Jisar, a few miles from Monday's fighting, American medics ventured in to offer health care and packets of food. – Dexter Filkins, New York Times with the 1st Marine Division