- British forces in Basra appear to be facing fresh confrontation
with Iraqi authorities after announcing that they will step up patrols
in the city.
-
- The intensification of military operations was announced
as the governor of Basra declared the city council had unanimously decided
to end co-operation with the British military after Monday's raid to free
two SAS soldiers. Since the incident, in which a British armoured vehicle
knocked down the walls of a police complex - and soldiers came under petrol
bomb attack - there have been far fewer overt signs of troops in the city
centre.
-
- But the Ministry of Defence said last night that the
patrols will be stepped up "progressively" after a brief hiatus.
-
- Hundreds of Iraqi policemen have taken part in a demonstration
against the British military and the prospect has arisen of armed British
and Iraqi contingents on the streets at the same time.
-
- Iraqi authorities claim five civilians and an Iraqi policeman
were killed in the operation that followed the arrest of the two SAS men
by Iraqi police. Mohammed al-Walli, the governor of Basra, said: "The
council has decided to stop all co-operation with the British until they
meet three demands - to apologise for what happened, to guarantee it does
not happen again, and provide compensation for all the damage they did
during the operation". Munathil Mayahi, a council member, said: "What
would the British have done if this had happened to them? Of course the
families of the martyrs must be compensated."
-
- In Baghdad, Iraq's National Security Adviser, Mowaffak
al-Rubaie called the British military operation " a flagrant breach
of Iraqi sovereignty which we should not tolerate".
-
- Stewart Innes, an official with the British consulate
in Basra, said: "We will negotiate with the governing council in order
to reach a solution". He said no meetings had yet been scheduled.
-
- Colonel Nick Henderson, who led the operation to free
the two SAS soldiers, insisted no rescue would have been necessary if the
Iraqi security forces had handed over the men.
-
- "We looked inside the buildings and we didn't find
them and we discovered they were moved elsewhere," he said.
-
- On the streets of Basra, some appeared to blame the British
for the violence. Ibrahim al-Raheem, a shopkeeper, said: "Why do we
need foreign forces here? And if they must stay here then they must respect
our officials. The British are arrogant."
-
- But others expressed worries about the Iraqi police.
A student, Jawad, said: "Many of them are corrupt and they represent
some extreme Shia organisations. A lot of people are very scared of them."
-
- British forces in Basra appear to be facing fresh confrontation
with Iraqi authorities after announcing that they will step up patrols
in the city.
-
- The intensification of military operations was announced
as the governor of Basra declared the city council had unanimously decided
to end co-operation with the British military after Monday's raid to free
two SAS soldiers. Since the incident, in which a British armoured vehicle
knocked down the walls of a police complex - and soldiers came under petrol
bomb attack - there have been far fewer overt signs of troops in the city
centre.
-
- But the Ministry of Defence said last night that the
patrols will be stepped up "progressively" after a brief hiatus.
-
- Hundreds of Iraqi policemen have taken part in a demonstration
against the British military and the prospect has arisen of armed British
and Iraqi contingents on the streets at the same time.
-
- Iraqi authorities claim five civilians and an Iraqi policeman
were killed in the operation that followed the arrest of the two SAS men
by Iraqi police. Mohammed al-Walli, the governor of Basra, said: "The
council has decided to stop all co-operation with the British until they
meet three demands - to apologise for what happened, to guarantee it does
not happen again, and provide compensation for all the damage they did
during the operation". Munathil Mayahi, a council member, said: "What
would the British have done if this had happened to them? Of course the
families of the martyrs must be compensated."
-
- In Baghdad, Iraq's National Security Adviser, Mowaffak
al-Rubaie called the British military operation " a flagrant breach
of Iraqi sovereignty which we should not tolerate".
-
- Stewart Innes, an official with the British consulate
in Basra, said: "We will negotiate with the governing council in order
to reach a solution". He said no meetings had yet been scheduled.
-
- Colonel Nick Henderson, who led the operation to free
the two SAS soldiers, insisted no rescue would have been necessary if the
Iraqi security forces had handed over the men.
-
- "We looked inside the buildings and we didn't find
them and we discovered they were moved elsewhere," he said.
-
- On the streets of Basra, some appeared to blame the British
for the violence. Ibrahim al-Raheem, a shopkeeper, said: "Why do we
need foreign forces here? And if they must stay here then they must respect
our officials. The British are arrogant."
-
- But others expressed worries about the Iraqi police.
A student, Jawad, said: "Many of them are corrupt and they represent
some extreme Shia organisations. A lot of people are very scared of them."
-
- http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article314500.ece
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