17:28 26Mar2003 RTRS-US TROOPS HAVE PARACHUTED INTO NORTHERN IRAQ AIRFIELD,LANDED SAFELY--US OFFICIAL
17:45 26Mar2003 RTRS-US paratroopers seize north Iraq airfield-official
WASHINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Army troops parachuted into and took control of a key airfield in northern Iraq on Wednesday, becoming the first sizable American military presence in that part of the country, defense officials said.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said elements of the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Italy, parachuted into the airfield. The officials would not state the precise location of the airfield nor give the number of troops involved.
A defense official said that before this operation, several hundred special forces troops had been operating on the ground in northern Iraq.
((Reporting by Will Dunham; Reuters Messaging: will.dunham.reuters.com@reuters.net; will.dunham@reuters.com; +1 202 898 8300, fax +1 703 979-7220))
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Wednesday, 26 March 2003 17:28:45
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