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Two British soldiers die in Iraq | |
(40 minutes later) | |
A British soldier in Iraq has been killed during fighting in Basra involving 1,000 troops, the Ministry of Defence has said. | |
Soldiers came under attack from machine gun and rocket-propelled grenades, and encountered several roadside bombs. | |
The dead soldier - in a Warrior vehicle patrol in the Tuninah district - was hit by an improvised explosive device. Next of kin have yet to be informed. | The dead soldier - in a Warrior vehicle patrol in the Tuninah district - was hit by an improvised explosive device. Next of kin have yet to be informed. |
In a separate incident, a soldier has died in an accident on a Basra base. | |
The soldier from the 4th Battalion The Rifles died at the Basra Palace base on Friday, the MoD said. | |
The soldier's next of kin have been informed. | The soldier's next of kin have been informed. |
"An investigation into the incident is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage," a spokesman said. | "An investigation into the incident is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage," a spokesman said. |
The MoD said the soldier killed was on patrol in an overnight operation in the north of the city to detain individuals suspected of other attacks. | |
A number of arrests are reported to have been made. | |
Three soldiers are being treated at the British field hospital in Basra after unrelated incidents during the operation. | |
One soldier suffered serious injuries and another minor injury from small arms fire, and a further member of the armed forces was injured by an improvised explosive device. | |
Elsewhere in Iraq, more than 40 people have been killed in bomb attacks. | |
Some 22 people died in a suspected suicide bomb in the small Shia Kurdish village in Diyala province. And at least 20 were killed by a truck bomb in the town of Amirli, home to members of Iraq's Turkoman minority. | |
'Troop reductions' | 'Troop reductions' |
The deaths take the total number of UK troops killed in Iraq since hostilities began in 2003 to 158. | The deaths take the total number of UK troops killed in Iraq since hostilities began in 2003 to 158. |
Most of the 5,500 British troops in Iraq are based in Basra | |
Of those who died, 122 are classed as having been killed in hostile action. | Of those who died, 122 are classed as having been killed in hostile action. |
Most of the 5,500 UK troops in Iraq are stationed in Basra. | |
The bases frequently come under mortar fire from Shiite militants involved in a power-struggle in the city. | |
The BBC understands all personnel are shortly to be moved to a single base at Basra airport. | |
It is thought the plan over the next 12 months is to then reduce the number of troops to just 1,500. | It is thought the plan over the next 12 months is to then reduce the number of troops to just 1,500. |