British soldier killed in attack on Basra base
Source: Reuters
(Adds death toll, details, quotes from military spokesman) LONDON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - A British soldier was killed during an attack on an army base in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday. A spokeswoman said the coalition forces base was hit by small arms fire during an attack by insurgents on Monday. One soldier from the 2nd battalion Duke of Lancaster regiment was killed. There were no other casualties. Britain has 7,000 troops in southern Iraq, which has generally been calmer than the centre and north of the country. Major Charlie Burbridge, spokesman for the British military in Basra, said the soldier was killed while on sentry duty. "There were bursts of automatic fire, which is an indication that this was not a sniper," he told Sky television. "These are individual rogue elements of criminal gangs and militias who target our soldiers." A total of 121 British armed forces personnel have died in Iraq since the start of the campaign in March 2003. Of these, 90 were killed in action.
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