US forces have taken control of highways leading northwest and west out of Baghdad as they try to encircle the Iraqi capital, according to a military source.
"You can see we've now seized control of the northwest shoulder of the city," the source told journalists today.
The 3rd brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, comprising more than 50 tanks and around 70 Bradley fighting vehicles as well as combat engineering forces, took strategic points in the north west about two to three miles from the city outskirts.
The source said the brigade controlled territory on and around highway one leading north out of Baghdad and highway 10 leading west out of the city.
One soldier died and another was injured when Iraqi fighters ambushed the 3rd Infantry convoy as it moved into position northwest of Baghdad, the source said earlier.