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UK may return to Iraq crisis city UK may return to Iraq crisis city
(about 12 hours later)
British troops are on standby to re-enter Amara in southern Iraq after an outbreak of serious violence. British troops remain on standby to help out Iraqi forces in Amara after an outbreak of serious violence.
The Army could return to the city just two months after it pulled out if the Amara authorities ask for help, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed. The Army said the southern city was "calm but tense" after hundreds of extra Iraqi troops were sent there.
Clashes between police and up to 300 gunmen have left at least 31 people dead and 90 injured. Clashes between police and up to 300 gunmen on Thursday and Friday left at least 30 people dead and 100 injured.
Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, said there would have to be a reassessment of the transfer. The UK handed power to Iraqi forces in Amara in August. The country's foreign ministry is now calling for a rethink of the police of transferring power.
He said: "After what happened in Amara over the last two days the Iraqi military commanders, as well as the British commanders and the multi-national forces command, has really to look deeper and to evaluate the situation whether Amara or Maysan Province is ready for the transfer to the Iraqi security." Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said British, Iraqi and multi-national commanders needed to "evaluate the situation" to decide if security in the area could be handed back.
The MoD pulled all UK troops out of Amara in August because the security situation was "relatively quiet" there. 'Under control'
The MoD pulled all UK troops out of Amara, in Maysan province, because the security situation was considered "relatively quiet".
Iraqi forces took over and British troops were given other responsibilities in the surrounding area.
HAVE YOUR SAY The policies regarding Iraq must be reviewed and changed Justin Schultz, Boise, US Send us your viewsHAVE YOUR SAY The policies regarding Iraq must be reviewed and changed Justin Schultz, Boise, US Send us your views
Iraqi forces took over security in the city - in Maysan province - and British troops were given other responsibilities in the surrounding area. But about 700 extra Iraqi troops were sent to Amara on Friday after militias began to attack police stations.
But about 700 Iraqi troops have been sent to Amara to deal with the current violence, and a 500-strong battle group of British soldiers has been put on standby. A 500-strong battle group of British soldiers was put on standby.
A curfew has been put into force, but BBC reporters in Iraq say it is unclear whether the situation is under control. A curfew was put into force and by Saturday Iraqi forces appeared to have brought the situation under control.
Major Charlie Burbridge, based in Basra, confirmed that British forces were providing air surveillance in the city. Major Charlie Burbridge, based in nearby Basra, told AFP news agency the situation was "definitely calm, but it's very tense".
He told Reuters news agency: "There were a number of clashes between the Iraqi police and rogue elements of militias in Amara. He added: "We suspect that there is a capacity for it to brew up again without any warning."
"Some of these clashes became quite intense exchanges of fire."
High-level delegationHigh-level delegation
It is thought the violence was sparked on Thursday morning by the arrest of the brother of the local leader of the Mehdi militia, loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr.It is thought the violence was sparked on Thursday morning by the arrest of the brother of the local leader of the Mehdi militia, loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr.
Gunmen attacked a number of police stations in Amara - the administrative centre of Maysan with a population of about 300,000.Gunmen attacked a number of police stations in Amara - the administrative centre of Maysan with a population of about 300,000.
A high-level delegation has been sent to the city by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to seek a solution to the problem. A high-level delegation was sent to the city by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani met Mr Sadr.
Iraqi officials claimed that the army had managed to quell the violence, but eyewitness reports suggested there was still gunfire well into the afternoon. Mr Bolani said the situation in Amara was now "good and under control".
The UK military has been making moves to hand over power to Iraqi forces in Maysan, following transfers of power in Dhi Qar and Muthanna provinces earlier this year.The UK military has been making moves to hand over power to Iraqi forces in Maysan, following transfers of power in Dhi Qar and Muthanna provinces earlier this year.
The BBC's Paul Wood, in nearby Basra, said there were two ways of reading the current situation.
If the Iraqi army has calmed things down, our correspondent said it would be seen as a "vindication of the British strategy of handing over to the Iraqis - it shows they are capable of coping on their own".
"The other reading is that things are still unstable, the British army will have to go in, and that will throw that whole strategy into reverse."
Basra and Maysan are the only two provinces still under British control.Basra and Maysan are the only two provinces still under British control.