May 01
BASRA, Iraq: British forces formally ended combat operations in Iraq last night, one month ahead of schedule, after a ceremony to remember their dead from six years of warfare.
The conclusion of the military campaign, which began with the war that toppled Saddam Hussein launched in 2003, came as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met his Iraqi counterpart, Nuri al-Maliki, in London.
"Today marks the closing chapter of the combat mission in Iraq," Mr Brown said. "The flag of 20 Armoured Brigade will be lowered as British combat patrols in Basra come to an end and our armed forces prepare to draw down."
"Today, we are taking steps to strengthen and deepen our relationship and to make it a long-term partnership of equals," he added.
A formal transfer-of-authority ceremony was held in the southern city of Basra after British forces paid tribute to their 179 colleagues killed since the US-led invasion of March 2003.
British troop numbers were the second-largest in the Iraq campaign, peaking at 46,000 at the height of combat operations that resulted in Saddam's ouster and his eventual execution for crimes against humanity.
The official withdrawal of forces was launched on March 31 when the pennant of the British headquarters in Basra was lowered and the base handed over to US control.
A deal signed by Baghdad and London last year had agreed that the last 4100 British soldiers would complete their mission - primarily training the Iraqi army - by June, before a complete withdrawal from the country in late July.
The names of the 179 soldiers, as well as those of 55 multinational forces personnel who died in British-led operations in the Basra area, were read out at the memorial service, which was attended by British Defence Secretary John Hutton.
The drawdown of foreign troops comes amid an upturn in violence last month.
A series of bombings, suicide attacks and shootings killed at least 48 people yesterday.
Source: The Australian
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