▁February ). ▁Another ▁Ott oman ▁position , ▁called ▁D ah ra ▁B end , ▁was ▁taken ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁February . ▁Finally , ▁the ▁British ▁re - capt ured ▁K ut ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁February ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Battle ▁of ▁K ut . ▁ ▁The ▁local ▁Ott oman ▁commander , ▁Kar ab ek ir ▁Bey , ▁did ▁not ▁let ▁his ▁army ▁become ▁tra pped ▁in ▁K ut , ▁as ▁General ▁Town sh end ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁Battle ▁of ▁K ut . ▁ ▁The ▁march ▁on ▁Bag hd ad ▁res umed ▁on ▁ 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Three ▁days ▁later , ▁Mau de ' s ▁corps ▁reached ▁the ▁Di y ala ▁River ▁on ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁K hal il ▁P asha ▁chose ▁to ▁defend ▁Bag hd ad ▁at ▁the ▁confl u ence ▁of ▁the ▁Di y ala ▁and ▁the ▁Tig ris , ▁some ▁ 3 5 ▁miles ▁south ▁of ▁Bag hd ad . ▁The ▁Ott oman ▁troops ▁resist ed ▁the ▁initial ▁British ▁assault ▁on ▁ 9 ▁March . ▁General ▁Mau de ▁then ▁shift ed ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁his ▁army ▁north . ▁He ▁believed ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁out fl ank ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁positions ▁and ▁strike ▁directly ▁for ▁Bag hd ad . ▁K hal il ▁P asha ▁respond ed ▁by ▁sh ifting ▁his ▁army ▁out ▁of ▁its ▁def ensive ▁positions ▁to ▁mirror ▁the ▁move ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁river .