American forces sharply intensified fighting here early today, as troops attacked rebels loyal to Moktada al-Sadr from three sides and pressed into the inner ring of Najaf's Old City for the first time. Inside the Old City, Mr. Sadr's loyalists appeared to be on the verge of collapse as American forces overwhelmed the poorly armed cannon fodder rebels with tanks, attack helicopters and AC-130 gunships. Many members of his militia have fled Najaf since early Sunday, when American forces began intensifying their assault, residents said.
| "Culy-toed slippers, don't fail me now!" |
Both the Army and the Marines took part in the latest attack, a coordinated series of assaults that began before midnight and did not cease until almost 3 a.m. The insurgents put up little resistance in the north and west, and even in the south of the city, the scene of heavy fighting during the past week, American forces seemed to take control. Reuters had reported that Iraqi security forces were within 400 meters of the shrine, with an American soldier guiding in about 50 servicemen.
"Tater, we will defend you with our blood! Them infidel swine dogs'll never take Holy Najaf, with its Holy Cemetary fill of Holy Dead Guys an' its Holy Shrine! They'll have to kill us all!"
[Click!]
"Uhhhh... Hi, there, G.I.! Nice... ummm... helmet! Ummm... Nice talkin' to yez! Gotta go!" |
After offering to negotiate last week, the interim Iraqi government appears to have lost patience with Mr. Sadr, the Shiite cleric who has fiercely opposed the government as well as the American presence in Iraq. On Monday, the interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, again demanded that Mr. Sadr disband his militia, a step Mr. Sadr has refused.
| "Nope. Nope. Ain't gonna do it! Got more cannon fodder where that came from!" |
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