Coalition Forces Reach 160 Kilometers from Baghdad - 2003-03-23

Coalition forces have reached 160 kilometers from Baghdad, but today they faced resistance from Iraqis in at least three areas. American and British ground forces reported clashes in the city of Najaf south of Baghdad and in Nasiriyah southeast of Baghdad along the Euphrates River. Coalition forces are still engaged in overcoming some resistance in the city of Umm Qasr on the Gulf coast, which British forces claimed to have under control on Friday. Today, American and British aircraft bombed Baghdad at least twice. Witnesses say a thick cloud of smoke enveloping the capital is due to burning oil that had been spilled in ditches around the city. Meanwhile, aid workers have set up refugee camps near the borders of Iraq but report encountering only a few individuals so far. The United Nations food program and other aid organizations state that what Iraqis currently need most is food supplies. On the other hand, Turkish military officials denied reports of at least a thousand Turkish commandos being deployed near the Iraqi border. In the U.S., reports indicate an increase in public support for the Iraq war. In a poll conducted by the New York Times and CBS, seventy percent said they support intervention in Iraq.