This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7970775.stm
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| UK's Basra mission 'successful' | UK's Basra mission 'successful' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| British troops can be proud of a "successful conclusion" to their mission in southern Iraq, their commander has said. | British troops can be proud of a "successful conclusion" to their mission in southern Iraq, their commander has said. |
| Major General Andy Salmon, the head of British forces in Basra, has said the troops have left the area much safer. | Major General Andy Salmon, the head of British forces in Basra, has said the troops have left the area much safer. |
| In an interview with the Press Association (PA), Maj Gen Salmon said: "I can put my hand on my heart and say we've finished this right." | In an interview with the Press Association (PA), Maj Gen Salmon said: "I can put my hand on my heart and say we've finished this right." |
| British troops are due to hand over control next week. | |
| "I know that it was a very difficult start - we all know that. | "I know that it was a very difficult start - we all know that. |
| "We know that actually we went through some difficult times." | "We know that actually we went through some difficult times." |
| He said: "So did the US Army, we all went through difficult times. | He said: "So did the US Army, we all went through difficult times. |
| We can be proud of our achievements Major General Andy Salmon | We can be proud of our achievements Major General Andy Salmon |
| "We stayed the course and we endured, and we partnered with everybody, and seized our opportunities and adapted along the way." | "We stayed the course and we endured, and we partnered with everybody, and seized our opportunities and adapted along the way." |
| Britain's combat operations in Iraq are due to finish on 31 May, and virtually all of the 4,100 troops in the country will have left Iraq by the end of July. | Britain's combat operations in Iraq are due to finish on 31 May, and virtually all of the 4,100 troops in the country will have left Iraq by the end of July. |
| Maj Gen Salmon will leave Iraq this week, with the Basra region handed over to the control of US forces | |
| "We can be proud of our achievements," he said. | "We can be proud of our achievements," he said. |
| "We should be humble but not frightened of spelling out the successful picture that we are looking at now in Basra, albeit there are still a lot of challenges and considerable things that have to be done to make it a stable place." | "We should be humble but not frightened of spelling out the successful picture that we are looking at now in Basra, albeit there are still a lot of challenges and considerable things that have to be done to make it a stable place." |
Previous version
1
Next version