- Title: IRAQ: MORE SOLDIERS FROM THE BLACK WATCH REGIMENT LEAVE BASRA FOR HOME
- Date: 14th December 2004
- Summary: (U4) BASRA, IRAQ (DECEMBER 14, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. MV SOLDIERS OF BLACK WATCH CHECKING THEIR BAGS IN AT AIRPORT; MV SOLDIERS HAVING THEIR LUGGAGE X-RAYED 0.12 2. MV BLACKWATCH SOLDIERS CLEARING PASSPORT CONTROL COUNTERS; MV SOLDIERS RECEIVING LUGGAGE 0.50 3. SLV SOLDIERS WALKING TOWARDS MILITARY PLANE; BLACK WATCH SOLDIERS INSIDE AEROPLANE 1.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th December 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BASRA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA7L9FJ3D9LM5UQNN7W7C3J26PE
- Story Text: More soldiers from Black watch regiment leave Basra
for home
More Black Watch soldiers left to their base in
Basra on Tuesday (December 14, 2004) to return home for a
Christmas break.
Departing from Basra airport 550km (342 miles) south of
Baghdad, the regiment returned to its base in Basra after a
month-long mission standing in for U.S. troops in a more
violent part of the country.
Around 850 troops were sent to a base south of Baghdad
to replace U.S. soldiers taking part in the storming of the
rebel-held city of Falluja.
The regiment came under almost daily bombardment during
the mission, suffering five deaths.
The soldiers' move north to the area dubbed the
"Triangle of Death" from the relatively quiet south was
controversial in Britain where anti-war sentiment remains
strong.
Critics said it was politically motivated to show
support for U.S. President George W. Bush just before the
election.
About 200 soldiers from the Black Watch regiment
arrived back in the UK for a Christmas break earlier this
week.
The troops landed at the RAF Lyneham airbase in
Chippenham early on Saturday (December 11) and travelled to
Battlesbury Barracks in Warminster, southern England, for a
reunion with their families.
Their official six-week period of leave will begin on
Wednesday (December 15).
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