Battle of Wadi al-Batin

Battle of Wadi al-Batin
Part of the Persian Gulf War
Soviet made T-12 Rapira anti-tank gun, the main weapon used by the Iraqis during the battle
Date 15 – 20 February 1991 (5 days) Location Iraq Result Iraqi victory
Belligerents
United States	Iraq
Commanders and leaders
Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Gen. Fred Franks	Ayad Khalil Zaki
Units involved
1st Cavalry Division 5th Cavalry Regiment 1st Squadron[1] 82nd Field Artillery Regiment 1st Battalion Battery B[2] 3rd Battalion[3]	Mechanised Infantry Reconnaissance Platoon 52nd Armoured Division 25th Infantry Division 72nd Brigade 103rd Brigade 31st Infantry Division 109th Brigade[3]
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.