Battle of Wadi al-Batin | |||||||
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Part of the Persian Gulf War | |||||||
![]() Soviet made T-12 Rapira anti-tank gun, the main weapon used by the Iraqis during the battle | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Units involved | |||||||
1st Cavalry Division
82nd Field Artillery Regiment |
Mechanised Infantry Reconnaissance Platoon
31st Infantry Division
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
3 killed 9 wounded 1 M1 Abrams damaged 1 Bradley destroyed 1 Bradley damaged 1 M163 VADS destroyed |
Killed & wounded unknown 7 captured 5 tanks destroyed 20 artillery pieces destroyed |
The Battle of Wadi al-Batin, also known as the Battle of Ruqi Pocket, took place before the beginning of the Desert Storm operations on 16 February 1991. This is not to be confused with the "Battle of Wadi al-Batin" which was fought later in the four-day ground war between elements of the 1st Cavalry Division (United States) and the Iraqi Republican Guard.
Iraqis thought that Coalition forces were prepping the Wadi al-Batin for the main attack. The desired effect was that the Iraqis would think that the main coalition ground attack would come up the Wadi al-Batin, a natural invasion route, and they would therefore reinforce their forces there, at the expense of the Western flank, where VII Corps would conduct the main attack.