US Army Takes over Control of Baghdad from Marines

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, April 20, 2003

US Army Takes over Control of Baghdad from Marines

The US army took over the control of Baghdad Saturday from the Marines, who started to pull out from the Iraqi capital that they captured 10 days ago.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The US army took over the control of Baghdad Saturday from the Marines, who started to pull out from the Iraqi capital that they captured 10 days ago.

Soldiers from the US army's 3rd Infantry Division have replaced the Marines in many areas of Baghdad Saturday, while elements of the US 4th Infantry Division and the 101st Airborne also moved intothe city.

About 1,600 Marines left Baghdad early Saturday to head south toan assembly area near the central southern Iraqi town of Kerbala, Marine officers said.

The Marine pullout came as the US military's prime mission in Iraq turned from combat to civil peacekeeping.

It was also part of a US plan to reorganize the pattern of US forces in Iraq, because the army has more resources than the Marines, the vanguard striking forces, to deal with civil duties.

According to the plan, troops from the Army's 3rd Infantry Division will remain in Baghdad, while the 4th Infantry Division will control the northern part of the country.

The withdrawal of Marines, which controled the east part of Baghdad, was expected to unite the US control of the city under a single US commander.

After the takeover of Baghdad, the US army units are facing a daunting challenge to restore the order in the city, which has been plagued by looting, violence and public anger towards the US occupation in the past days.

Top on the army's agenda will be restoring the disrupted basic civil services, mainly the electricity, water, hospitals and law and order.

The public anger has been heating up in Baghdad 10 days after the downfall of the regime of Saddam Hussein, as more and more people took to streets to protest the US failure to ease their suffering from lack of food, water, medicine and security.

Questions?Comments? Click here

US Marines Attack Bank to Save it from Robbery: Witness

US Marines Enter Heart of Saddam's Hometown

>> Full Coverage

No Staff of Iraqi Embassy in China Seeking Asylum ( 3 Messages)

Change of DPRK's Attitude Attracts Attention ( 3 Messages)

Beijing Takes Innovative Measures to Control SARS: WHO Expert ( 4 Messages)

China Sees 9.9 Percent GDP Growth in First Quarter ( 5 Messages)

Seize Opportunities to Speed up Development: President ( 3 Messages)