IRAQ: BRITISH TROOPS SURROUND OFFICES OF RADICAL CLERIC IN BASRA.

Record ID: 230504

  • Title: IRAQ: BRITISH TROOPS SURROUND OFFICES OF RADICAL CLERIC IN BASRA.
  • Date: 5th August 2004
  • Summary: (W5) BASRA, IRAQ (AUGUST 5,2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: EXTERIORS OF SADR OFFICE IN BASRA 0.06 2. LV/GV: BRITISH ARMY VEHICLES AND SOLDIERS OUTSIDE SADR'S OFFICES (3 SHOTS) 0.29 3. MV: BRITISH SOLDIER TALKING TO IRAQI MEN 0.38 4. GV/MV: BRITISH ARMY TRUCKS AND BRITISH SOLDIERS ON STREET (3 SHOTS) 1.02 5. GV: ELDERLY MAN IN HOSPITAL 1.07 6. MV: YOUNG MAN IN HOSPITAL WITH BLOODY BANDAGE AROUND HIS HAND HAND 1.17 7. GV/GV/PAN: BRITISH TROOPS IN ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS DRIVING ALONG ROAD (3 SHOTS) 1.32 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BASRA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA1O4BQ0F468SJQ9XE8FDJKFGYA
  • Story Text: British troops surrounding radical Shi'ite cleric
    Moqtada al Sadr's offices in Basra.



    British troops surrounded Moqtada al-Sadr's office
    in Basra on Thursday (August 5) after militiamen loyal to
    the Shiite Muslim radical leader declared holy war against
    British forces based in Iraq's main southern city following
    the arrest of four of their comrades.

    British troops deployed in armoured vehicles and tanks
    around al-Sadr's main offices and elsewhere in Basra.

    Meanwhile, British soldiers fought battles with members
    of al-Sadr's militia, the Mehdi Army, in Karma (20 km north
    of Basra). Witnesses said that four Iraqis were wounded in
    the clashes .

    Al-Sadr launched an uprising against U.S.-led forces in
    April, and hundreds were killed in weeks of fighting in
    Shi'ite areas of Iraq.

    Later, a spokeswoman for British forces in Iraq
    reported that British forces fought a 15-minute gun battle
    with Iraqi Shi'ite militia in Basra and two militiamen were
    killed.

    "Coalition forces were attacked with small arms fire
    and returned fire, killing two enemy fighters," the
    spokeswoman said, adding that no British forces were
    wounded.

    Al-Sadr's fighters also battled U.S. marines in the
    holy city of Najaf and shot down an American helicopter on
    Thursday.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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