Six British troops die in southern Iraq

Six British soldiers have been killed and eight more wounded in two separate actions in southern Iraq today.

The MoD has confirmed that there were two incidents near Al Amarah - about 125 miles north of Basra - today which resulted in British casualties.

In one incident, six British personnel were killed - but the MoD has not been able to supply further details.

In the second incident, troops from 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment were patrolling south of Al Amarah when they came under fire. The patrol took one casualty and two vehicles were destroyed.

In responding to the incident, an RAF Chinook helicopter carrying a Quick Reaction Force came under fire as it landed. Seven personnel aboard the helicopter were wounded, three of them seriously. All were extracted by helicopter and are receiving treatment.

An MoD spokesperson added: "We are investigating the incidents, including whether or not they are related."

This is the first time that a British patrol has been ambushed since the war was declared over. British troops had been gaining the trust of Basra residents and the civil situation in the south of the country had been improving of late. Troops have been wearing berets on patrol as a confidence-building measure and local police officers are back on the streets in the south.

However, the story throughout Iraq is clearly that the war may be over but hostilities are not.

US troops deployed in Baghdad and Falluja are sustaining casualties almost on a daily basis, and more than 40 US personnel have been killed in isolated attacks since the ceasefire began.

The most recent attack saw one US soldier killed and another injured following a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Khan Azad, south of Baghdad, yesterday.

(GMcG)