24/11/2006

British soldier killed in Basra

A British soldier has been killed during a search and detention operation in Basra, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The soldier, a member of the Parachute Regiment, was shot during the operation in the southern Iraq city and was evacuated to a nearby military hospital, but later died from his injuries.

The Ministry of Defence said that next of kin have been informed, but they had asked for a further 24 hours so that wider members of the family could be informed before details of his identity were released.

The death brings the total number of UK troops who have died in Iraq since the start of hostilities to 126.

It comes just two days after Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said that Britain might be able to hand over responsbility for the security in Basra to Iraqi forces by next spring.

(KMcA)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

05 February 2007
British soldier killed in Iraq
A roadside bomb has killed a British soldier in Basra, southern Iraq, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
07 November 2006
British soldier killed in Basra
A British soldier has died during an attack on an army base in Basra, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The soldier, who has not been named, was from the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment. It is understood that the soldier was killed when the base came under small arms fire. There were no other casualties in the incident.
28 June 2007
Three British soldiers killed in Basra
Three British soldiers have been killed and one seriously injured by a roadside bomb in Basra. The explosion occurred in the Al Amtahiya district in the south east of Basra City at around 1am local time on Thursday when the troops were outside their armoured warrior vehicle.
01 August 2006
British soldier killed in Iraq
A British soldier has been killed in Iraq, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The soldier, from 1st Battalion The Light Infantry, died following an attack on a Multi National Force base in Basra City. A mortar round exploded within the perimeter of the base at around 0300 local time, the MoD said.
09 February 2007
Bomb blast kills British soldier in Basra
The Ministry of Defence has reported that a British soldier has been killed in Iraq on Friday 9 February 2007. The MoD confirmed that the soldier had been killed in a roadside bomb attack while on patrol in the south-east of Basra City. Three other soldiers have also been injured, one of whom is described as being in a critical condition.