Timeline of The 2003 Invasion of Iraq - March 23, 2003

March 23, 2003

• USA and British forces succeeded in taking the airport outside of Basra, and battled with Iraqi forces for control of the city itself.

• US Marines battled Iraqi forces near the city of Nassiriya, a key crossing of the Euphrates about 225 miles (362 km) southeast of Baghdad.

• Media report about pictures of British and American soldiers wounded and killed by Iraqi forces, as shown by the Arabian Al Jazeera TV network.
  • Sixteen Americans were missing; five of them were shown on Iraqi state TV as POWs and at least four were shown dead in what appeared to be a hospital room.

• In another incident about 10 US Marines were confirmed to be killed, when they ran into an ambush during the Battle of Nasiriyah.

• The British TV network ITV reported that its reporter Terry Lloyd was killed near Basra.

• Continued battle around the Iraqi cities of Basra and Nassiriya.
• Iraq reports that it captured a number of American prisoners of war. The United States Military states that 12 mechanics were missing. A videotape of the captives and dead mechanics was released that show possible torture and execution-style killings. US officials charge that Iraqi treatment of the captives violates the Geneva Convention.
• A RAF Panavia Tornado is brought down by "friendly fire" by a US Patriot missile battery.
• Coalition forces took control of a large complex of buildings in An Najaf Province near the city of Najaf. Some news sources proclaimed that this was a "huge chemical weapons plant" but Pentagon officials called such announcements "premature" and said that no weapons of mass destruction had yet been found.
• In Belgium legal complaints are filed against American officials for "crimes against humanity". It was reported that an Iraqi representing seven families deposited complaints for violation of human rights against former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Norman Schwarzkopf in Belgium. Supported by a socialist deputy and a non-governmental organization (NGO), the Iraqis denounce the bombing of a shelter which had made 403 civil victims in Baghdad in February 1991 during the Persian Gulf War. This is made possible by the Belgian law of universal competence, which provides justice on war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and can apply to any nationalities. Colin Powell indicated the event was a "serious problem", affecting the ability to go to Belgium, in particular to NATO in Brussels. Colin Powell stated this law was a subject of worry.