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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Rockets fired at UK's Basra base | Rockets fired at UK's Basra base |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Up to 20 rockets have been fired at the British base at Basra airport, say police in the southern Iraqi city. | Up to 20 rockets have been fired at the British base at Basra airport, say police in the southern Iraqi city. |
| No British personnel are reported to have been seriously injured in the attack, thought to have happened at about 1415 local time (1215 BST). | No British personnel are reported to have been seriously injured in the attack, thought to have happened at about 1415 local time (1215 BST). |
| Iraqi and British Army units responded by sealing of part of the Zubair district of the city, from where the katyusha rockets had been fired. | Iraqi and British Army units responded by sealing of part of the Zubair district of the city, from where the katyusha rockets had been fired. |
| Some 4,000 UK troops are currently based in Iraq. | Some 4,000 UK troops are currently based in Iraq. |
| The majority of UK troops in Iraq are based on the outskirts of Basra, at the airport. | The majority of UK troops in Iraq are based on the outskirts of Basra, at the airport. |
| Some 1,600 troops were withdrawn in 2007 after the completion of Operation Sinbad, which was designed to put Iraqis in charge of Basra's security. | Some 1,600 troops were withdrawn in 2007 after the completion of Operation Sinbad, which was designed to put Iraqis in charge of Basra's security. |
| The British military in Basra have confirmed that the rocket attack took place, but released no further details. | The British military in Basra have confirmed that the rocket attack took place, but released no further details. |
| Airstrike precautions | |
| Air cover was provided following the attack, although there were no reports of any air strikes. | Air cover was provided following the attack, although there were no reports of any air strikes. |
| Local people have said militiamen from the Mehdi Army, who have recently been forced out of their traditional bases by Iraqi and coalition troops, have been attempting to establish themselves in the Zubair district. | Local people have said militiamen from the Mehdi Army, who have recently been forced out of their traditional bases by Iraqi and coalition troops, have been attempting to establish themselves in the Zubair district. |
| Speaking in the House of Commons about the situation in Basra, prior to the attack, Defence Secretary Des Browne said Iraqi security forces had on Sunday concluded a "sector by sector" clearance of the city, which was "returning to normal". | |
| Mr Browne told MPs: "The current situation in Basra is that the grip of the militias has been broken with the leadership in flight or in hiding and huge quantities of illegal weaponry have been recovered." | |
| He said there were "early but encouraging signs" that life in the city was "returning to normal". |