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Attack causes fire at Basra base | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
An attack on a British military base in Basra caused a fire in fuel stores, a military spokesman has said. | |
The petrol and diesel storage area caught alight after "indirect fire" hit the Iraq base, which is near the Shatt al-Arab Hotel in the city centre. | |
No-one was injured and no structural damage was caused in the attack or in the blaze, the spokesman said. | |
The fire happened at the base, which comes under regular attack, at 1900 local time (1600 GMT) on Thursday. | |
"Commanders at the base decided, because no-one was at direct risk at the time, that they would let the fire burn out," a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. | |
Some petrol and diesel stores were lost, but there was no structural damage to buildings, he added. | |
The fire died out at about 0100 local time (2200 GMT), the MoD said. | |
Indirect fire is a term used for an attack launched on a target which cannot be seen clearly from a distance. | |
There are 7,100 British personnel in Iraq, largely based in the south of the country, mainly in Basra. | There are 7,100 British personnel in Iraq, largely based in the south of the country, mainly in Basra. |
The government announced last month that 1,600 troops are to be withdrawn within the next few months with hopes that another 500 will leave by late summer. | The government announced last month that 1,600 troops are to be withdrawn within the next few months with hopes that another 500 will leave by late summer. |