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Basra base suffers 'large fire' Attack causes fire at Basra base
(about 4 hours later)
An "indirect attack" caused a large fire at a British military base in Basra, a military spokesman has said. An attack on a British military base in Basra caused a fire in fuel stores, a military spokesman has said.
A petrol storage area caught alight after indirect fire hit the Iraq base, which is near the Shatt al-Arab Hotel in the centre of the city. 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.
There were no casualties and "no impact whatsoever on operations", the spokesman said. No-one was injured and no structural damage was caused in the attack or in the blaze, the spokesman said.
The blaze happened at the base, which comes under regular attack, at 1800 local time (1500 GMT) on Thursday. 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The government announced last month that 1,600 troops are to be withdrawn within the next few months with hopes that another 500 will leave by late summer.The government announced last month that 1,600 troops are to be withdrawn within the next few months with hopes that another 500 will leave by late summer.