About 1,000 U.S. Army troops were dropped by parachute into Kurdish territory in northern Iraq and took control of a key airfield on Wednesday, as American forces began opening a northern front in the invasion of Iraq, US defense officials said.
The officials said elements of the Army's 173d Airborne Brigade did not face resistance as they parachuted into the airfield in the Kurdish-controlled northern part of Iraq.
Another official said equipment and armor, including tanks and other armored vehicles, for the troops of the 173d Airborne Brigade would be following soon.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the move further ratchets up the pressure on Iraq's government.
"We are increasing the number of forces in the country every day. We're increasing them in the north, we're increasing them in the south and we're increasing them in the west," Rumsfeld said in remarks on Capitol Hill after briefing members of Congress.
Meanwhile, waves of explosions rocked Baghdad overnight on Thursday. More than 30 blasts could be heard around the city in at least four rounds through the night.
Anti-aircraft fire could be heard during the latest 10 blasts, shortly before 4 a.m. (0100 GMT) and with a dawn raid at 5:33 a.m. (0233 GMT). The sky cleared during the night after sandstorms in recent days.
Some of the overnight explosions were near the center of the capital, others around the fringes. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
