Heavy fighting in the south

US Marines battled for control of the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya yesterday, taking “significant” casualties in a fight to open a route north to Baghdad, military officials said.

They confirmed that a number of their troops were killed and wounded in heavy fighting, following Iraqi claims that up to 25 coalition troops had been killed in battle.

Reuters Correspondent Sean Maguire, travelling with the Marines First Regiment south of the city, said he could see explosions and plumes of smoke over Nassiriya, which lies on Iraq's Euphrates river about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad.