British bombard the enemy in Basra strike

Published on Saturday 19 April 2008 20:08

BRITISH forces were yesterday involved in a major operation to rid the violence-torn city of Basra of militia loyal to the radical cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr.

They took part in "firepower demonstration" before Iraqi troops were involved in fierce street battles with Shi'ite militia forces in Basra.

The biggest such display of force in weeks was part of an ongoing strategy to recapture the centre of the strategic city.

The operation is seen as the biggest test yet of the capability of the Iraqi army to take on and defeat the militants itself.

Both British and US forces were asked to put on the "spectacular" before ground forces entered Sadr City, a large slum area on the edge of Basra.

It is home to the controversial cleric and his followers in the so-called Medhi Army. Up to a dozen people were reported dead, and 130 wounded.

The crackdown on the militants was launched by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in late March and has continued sporadically ever since. British military spokesman Major Tom Holloway said UK forces had joined their US counterparts to provide heavy bombardment involving warplanes and artillery.

However, the action by the British and US forces had not resulted in casualties; these had all been inflicted by Iraqi groundforces.

Holloway confirmed: "British artillery and US planes conducted a firepower demonstration west of Hayaniya, to give a demonstration of the firepower available, if required."

The bombardment was aimed at waste ground close to one of the strongholds of the Mehdi Army, before Iraqi troops poured into the area.

Meanwhile, Richard Butler, the British journalist who was kidnapped in Basra while on assignment for CBS News, has arrived back in Europe.

The freelance photographer said he had received no mistreatment during his two months in captivity in Iraq, and thanked those, including the Iraqi army, who had helped to free him.