U.S. officials said Iraq has formed a convoy of hundreds of Soviet-origin tanks and armored personnel carriers that departed from the Baghdad area toward Karbala, about 90 kilometers south. The convoy is said to consist of up to 300 T-72 main battle tanks, BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles and an array of APCs.

The Iraqi force is meant to bolster the Medina division of the Republican Guard, which has been pounded by U.S. aircraft and artillery over the last three days. Officials believe that 1,000 soldiers from the division have been killed in the battle that began on Monday.

British officials said more than 100 Iraqi main battle tanks have left Basra for the Al Faw peninsula. They said allied fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft attacked the Iraqi convoy on late Wednesday.

Earlier, Shi'ite opposition leaders have called for a revolt against Iraqi regime forces in Basra. But the call did not result in a widespread insurrection.

Turkish government sources said Ankara approved the U.S. request as part of military cooperation connected to the war against Baghdad. Ankara has also allowed U.S. aircraft to use Turkish air space for bombing missions in Iraq.

The Turkish approval includes the stationing of a fleet of U.S. S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters in air bases in southern Turkey. The helicopters are expected to transport injured U.S. soldiers from northern Iraq to Turkey for medical treatment.

Germany has deployed an NBC battalion in Kuwait that includes six Fuchs armored reconnaissance vehicles equipped to detect nuclear, biological and chemical weapons agents. The German unit is part of a multinational NBC contingent based in Doha, Qatar and which includes Czech and Slovak forces.