Chinese Mandarin - British troops leave Basra base in Iraq

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WORLD / Middle East

British troops leave Basra base in Iraq

(AP)
Updated: 2007-09-03 06:58

LONDON - British soldiers began withdrawing Sunday from their final
remaining base inside the southern Iraqi city of Basra, a move likely to
prompt a further reduction in troop numbers,lawmakers and officials said.

A British army corporal lowers the Union Jack during a ceremony to mark
transfer of control of a British military base in Basra, 550 kilometers
(340 miles) southeast of Baghdad, Iraq, in this Tuesday, April 24, 2007
file photo.[AP]

Around 550 soldiers stationed in Basra Palace were leaving the downtown
site to join 5,000 other personnel at an air base camp on the fringes of
the city - ending their permanent presence in Iraq's second largest city.

The Iraqi military sent hundreds of reinforcements to the city to prevent
Shiite militias and criminal gangs from expanding their influence now
that the British have gone.

The decision to leave the palace compound - targeted with daily mortar
and rocker attack in recent months - will hand military commanders an
option of pulling around 550 troops out of Iraq in the autumn, lawmakers
said.

"We're withdrawing personnel," said a British defense ministry spokesman,
on customary condition of anonymity. "It's been our long planned
intention to leave the palace."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is due to set out future strategy for
British operations in Iraq in a speech to parliament next month, was
aware of the operation, a government official said.

Decisions made by ex-leader Tony Blair to reduce Britain's troops numbers
in Iraq from 7,000 to 5,500 earlier this year left an option of pulling
out around 500 more personnel once the Basra Palace base was handed back
to Iraqis.

"It has always been our intention to draw down troops in Basra" as Iraqi
army and police become ready to handle security duties, said a spokesman
for Brown's Downing Street office, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In Basra, Major Mike Shearer, Britain's military spokesman, told
reporters he could not disclose precise details of the withdrawal. "I can
confirm that an operation is ongoing, but we will not give any further
details," Shearer said.

The base has been used by Britain to house soldiers and diplomatic staff
since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

With the British drawdown, U.S. and Iraqi authorities have expressed
concern about the land supply line from Kuwait to Baghdad and beyond and
security of the oil fields - until now under the eye of British troops.

The withdrawal occurred in the midst of a power struggle between rival
Shiite groups throughout southern Iraq, and some analysts fear violence
will continue as the British continue to draw down their forces.

Last week, the head of the security committee on the Basra city council,
Hakim al-Miyahi, predicted "some disorder" after the British pullout from
the city because he feared that Iraqi forces were incapable of
maintaining order.

After the election in January 2005 that brought Prime Minister Nouri
al-Maliki to power, the city fell under the influence of Shiite religious
parties and militias, some with ties to Iran.

The police force is heavily infiltrated by militias. Political rivals,
liquor dealers, DVD shop owners and anyone who violated different groups'
interpretations of Islam was subject to assassination by death squads.

With additional Iraqi soldiers in the streets, residents say things have
quieted in recent weeks.

"This is not an unexpected move, but the families of the service
personnel involved will want to know that every possible precaution has
been taken to maximize their safety during this period," opposition
Conservative party lawmaker Liam Fox said.

Britain's Sunday Times newspaper reported Sunday British forces could
hand over responsibility for Basra as early as next month.

The defense ministry has previously said it hopes to hand security
responsibility for Basra, the last remaining province under its command,
to Iraqi forces sometime this autumn.

"This is a thoroughly sensible military decision," said opposition
Conservative lawmaker Patrick Mercer. "It will allow more troops to be
withdrawn from Iraq in the autumn, just as Britain increases its numbers
of troops in Afghanistan."

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