Operation Iraqi Freedom - March 28, 2003, Day Nine

[David]

Coalition aircraft conducted over 1500 sorties. To date, coalition forces have expended 675 cruise missiles and over 6000 precision guided munitions (PGMs) of other types. In one strike, 2 F-15E Strike Eagles attacked a site in Basra. Reportedly, 200 Baath Party members had been observed in a meeting prior to the strike; no BDA was immediately available.

Apache helicopters from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) supported the campaign with deep attack operations agains the Republican Guard Medina Division in the vecinity of Karbala.

In a news briefing at the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld issued a warning against assistance to the Iraqi regime by other nations. His remarks were in response to reports of the provision of defense materials (notably, night vision goggles) by Syria to Iraqi forces. It is also suspected that Syrian "volunteers" have been crossing the border to fight on the behalf of the Iraqi government. Another force arousing suspicions in Washington is the "Badr Corps", an anti-Saddam force with ties to Iran.

Information regarding the activities of special operations forces in Iraq remains scarce. However, SF units mounted raids and directed airstrikes in the vicinity of As samawah and Ar Rubah. Rangers raided an Iraqi headquarters in western Iraq, and in a separate engagement, SOF troops in western Iraq attacked a group of 30 armed individuals wearing civilian clothing. These individuals were reportedly an irregular Iraqi unit or foreign "volunteers".

Coalition forces in Southern Iraq captured the Basra oil refinery. This is one of the three principal refining complexes in Iraq.

After long delays due to mines in the shipping channel, the RFA Sir Galahad docked at Umm Qasr bearing a cargo of relief supplies.