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| British serviceman killed in Iraq | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A British airman was killed in a small arms fire attack in Basra in southern Iraq on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Defence has said. | A British airman was killed in a small arms fire attack in Basra in southern Iraq on Tuesday night, the Ministry of Defence has said. |
| The airman, from 1 Squadron, RAF Regiment, has not been named yet but next of kin have been informed. | The airman, from 1 Squadron, RAF Regiment, has not been named yet but next of kin have been informed. |
| Meanwhile, a British soldier, also killed in a small arms attack in Basra, has been named as Private Craig Barber. | Meanwhile, a British soldier, also killed in a small arms attack in Basra, has been named as Private Craig Barber. |
| Pte Barber, 20, from Ogmore Vale in Wales, died on Monday in an operation in the Al Fursi district of the city. | Pte Barber, 20, from Ogmore Vale in Wales, died on Monday in an operation in the Al Fursi district of the city. |
| He had been driving a Warrior vehicle as part of a night operation to counter indirect fire attacks on Basra Palace. | |
| Pte Barber joined the 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh three years ago. He leaves behind his wife, Donna, and three-year-old son, Bradley. | |
| 'Gentle giant' | |
| Lieutenant Colonel Swift MBE, commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, said: "Craig died as he lived; working for others and helping to protect them." | |
| Company commander Major Steve Mannings said: "He was a huge physical presence in his platoon but was the epitome of the gentle giant, always ready for a chat, always eager to please - he was an extremely popular young man." | |
| Second Lieutenant Olly Pope, Pte Barber's platoon commander, described him as one of the best Warrior drivers in the platoon. | |
| The death of the British airman brings the total number of UK personnel killed in Iraq to 166. |