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BRITISH forces are braced for retaliation by Shia militiamen in southern Iraq after weekend fighting left twenty-eight Iraqis dead and two British soldiers injured. It was their bloodiest engagement since the end of the war. Followers of Hojatoleslam Moqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shia leader, accused the British yesterday of “mutilating” the bodies of their fighters who were killed in fierce clashes after launching a series of ambushes against British patrols. The ambush backfired badly on the assailants, who were cut down by British infantry in close-quarters combat. Twenty-two of the Iraqi dead, members of al-Mahdi Army, were buried in the...

The soldiers who fear they are fighting a forgotten war IN THE darkness by the side of the road, Robert Grieve’s Land Rover rolled over and over, bullets ripping through it and out the other side. The rocket-propelled grenade had hit the tyre and bounced off, but the force of the blast had tipped the vehicle over. As it came to rest, Mr Grieve leaned forward just as his driver leaned back. In that moment, a bullet flashed between them, where their heads had been a second earlier. As the bullets continued to whizz past, the pair crawled out into...

<p>BAGHDAD (AP) — A top U.S. general in Iraq vowed on Wednesday to "destroy" a Shiite militia led by wanted radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr that has launched a wave of attacks against coalition forces in southern cities.</p> <p>"We will attack to destroy the al-Mahdi Army," Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told reporters. "Those attacks will be deliberate, precise and they will be successful."</p>

PRINCE Charles paid a surprise visit to Iraq on Sunday, strolling around one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces to inspect British troops and share a traditional Arabic coffee with local dignitaries. Under a shroud of secrecy, the prince flew into the violence-wracked country's southern port city of Basra, the command centre of 10,000 British troops based in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition which ousted Saddam last year. Wearing a pale brown suit and a dark blue tie, a calm-looking Charles sipped his strong coffee while mingling with prominent Basra citizens in Saddam's old Al-Faw palace, now home to...

Importing is a huge business since downfall of SaddamDemand is growing for cars, refrigerators and even once-unattainable items such as cell phones, satellite TV dishes Devin Murphy Special to The Daily Star BASRA, Iraq: Most of the products Munkith and Munthir Abbas used to sell were either illegal for ordinary Iraqis to own or too expensive for them to buy. Times have changed. Now the twin brothers manage just one of many import shops offering a range of electronic goods, from hand irons to satellite television receivers. “Whenever people can buy, they will buy,” said Munkith, 31, a resident of...

British troops have another year of patrols to look forward to British troops will still be in Iraq on New Year's Day 2005, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has said. But Mr Hoon said their role would change during 2004 from occupying Iraq to helping new Iraqi bodies bring stability to the country. He admitted that the US-led invasion of the Gulf state had encouraged an influx of foreign terrorists. But he said the long-term benefits of toppling Saddam Hussein outweighed the short-term problems. Asked on BBC Radio 4's The World at One how many troops would be in Iraq...

All quite quiet on the British front A degree of prosperity and the troops' emollient style have made Iraq's southern zone comparatively peaceful, writes Luke Harding Monday December 29, 2003 It is Basra's latest tourist attraction: Saddam Hussein's luxury yacht, still lying half-submerged in the city's shabby harbour. The yacht was one of the first targets in the coalition's campaign nine months ago to get rid of Saddam. But the missile failed to sink the al-Mansour - The Victory - which now lies across the Shatt al-Arab waterway, together with the rusting hulks of Iraqi gunboats sunk during the war...

AMSTERDAM, Dec 11 (Reuters) - The Dutch parliament agreed on Thursday to prolong the mission of about 1,100 Dutch marines as part of an international stabilisation force in Iraq by another six months. The troops, who are based in the British-controlled Al Muthanna province in the south of the country, will now stay until July 2004, Defence Ministry spokesman Hendrik Schoenau said. The decision to extend their stay was agreed by a large majority of parliamentarians, despite concern voiced in the assembly and in the Dutch press that the Dutch soldiers could become the target of attacks.

DIWANIYA, Iraq, Nov 5 (Reuters) - U.S. forces have been criticised for heavy-handedness in many parts of Iraq, but in the bustling riverside city of Diwaniya residents long to have them back. Spanish soldiers took over responsibility for the city from United States troops back in July, and while the Europeans are seen to be fair and firm overseers, many in the city say they miss the Americans' warmth and openness. "The Americans have a good culture, they got along with us and integrated with us -- they brought down the barriers," said Ala Saleh, 41, a high school...

Life Gets Better For Soldiers in Southern Iraq By U.S. Army Spc. Petersi Liu Public Affairs Office CAMP CEDAR II, Iraq – Life has gotten way better for service men and women serving here in southern Iraq.It really began in June and has constantly improved as a dry, plain landscape has been transformed into a vibrant tent city on a mile stretch of Iraqi desert approximately six miles from Ur, the biblical birthplace of Abraham.The camp is home to, among others, the 260th Quartermaster Battalion, an active duty unit from Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., and Reserve units the 394th...

KARBALA, IRAQ - Night was falling swiftly over the golden domes of this Shiite holy city when US soldiers manning the main police station received an urgent call: A robbery and stabbing had stirred trouble outside the Imam Hussein Mosque, and the newly trained Iraqi police needed backup. The Americans knew the mosque area was off-limits to their troops - so did the thieves, arms merchants, and drug dealers who frequented the surrounding marketplace. Still, the situation sounded dire, so they dispatched a dozen US military police in four Humvees. As the American MPs neared the mosque, which was thronged...

I WENT TO IRAQ in August, the day after a bomb had ripped through the United Nations compound in Baghdad, killing 23 people including the U.N. special envoy. I came home the day after another massive car bomb exploded at a mosque in Najaf, taking more than 95 lives including that of a leading cleric. Yet I returned more optimistic than when I went. Understandably, these attacks have caused apprehension, verging on panic, among U.S.-based commentators and politicians. A chorus of critics is already attacking the Bush administration for losing Iraq. During my trip I, too, saw plenty of room...

US troops appear safe in Shiite southern Iraq Jordan Times, Tuesday, July 15, 2003 NASSIRIYA, Iraq (AP) — While American troops in the centre of Iraq face daily attacks, US soldiers in this southern city say they feel safe and even welcome here. Saddam Hussein's persecution of the predominantly Shiite Muslim region during his 23-year rule may be why coalition forces have been welcomed south of Baghdad, where Shiites live in greatest numbers. Shiites make up 64 per cent of Iraq's 24 million people. "Here, it's pretty safe, but we have to be cautious," said Marine Cpl. Ayoade Ojikute, a...

UK troops say southern Iraq quiet overnight AS SAYLIYA CAMP, Qatar, April 2 (Reuters) - British forces reported a quiet night in southern Iraq on Wednesday after U.S. troops advanced toward Basra in the north. "There was action in the northern sector," British military spokesman Group Captain Al Lockwood said, referring to advances by U.S. troops advancing north towards Baghdad. "Basra was calm, although we're continuing our patrols to seek out paramilitary forces," he said. "We're treating it very carefully. There's 1.3 million citizens in Basra, and their safety is our highest priority." Lockwood said British troops in four towns...

10:35 a.m. Monday US Time UNCONFIRMED but initial report:According to the Russian language site of "al Jazeera" (www.aljazeera.ru), they claim just now that "Chemical Ali", the feared cousin of Saddam Hussein, was killed this morning in Ashtent (Shatra?) north of an-Nasiriyah. Here is the flash news dispatch, below. We would need a Freeper with good Russian skills to go to the original Russian at www.aljazeera.ru to check it. Also, it could be disinformation, saying he is killed in order to create confusion. But the twitch in my left foot tells me that the US Marines got this key Iraqi commander...