Four more British soldiers killed on the Shatt al-Arab waterway - Basra, Iraq

By: John_York

Four British servicemen were killed and three seriously wounded on Sunday, after their boat patrol came under attack as it was caught in an explosion caused by an improvised bomb as it was going past, in the southern Iraqi city of Basra.The attack took place on the Shatt al-Arab waterway, the MOD added that the injured personnel were medically evacuated to Shaibah Logistics Base by helicopter.

The Shatt al-Arab waterway, flows into the Persian Gulf, and is a narrow stretch of river about 120 miles long. It is fed by the Euphrates, Tigris, and Karun rivers and the middle of which forms the border between Iraq and Iran. The stretch of water is heavily patrolled by the British and Iranians, as it is a key source for smuggling of goods and arms between the two countries.

Secretary of State for Defence Des Browne said, 'This terrible incident reinforces in our minds the sacrifice made by the brave men and women of our armed forces.'

Earlier, Iraqi police and military reported finding 75 dead bodies in Baghdad and Baqouba. With several more suicide bombings throughout the country, bringing the days death toll to more than 140.

Sundays fatalities bring the number of British dead in Iraq to 125 since the start of the US-led invasion in March 2003, and will add to pressure on Tony Blair, as increasingly his policy in Iraq is seen as a failure.

The direct financial cost of the war in Iraq to the UK is put at some £5 billions, with an additional £3 billions spent so far on Afghanistan and the fight against terrorism, bringing the total cost at £8 billion on top of the normal running costs of the UK armed forces. With additional costs due to security concerns and high oil / energy prices associated with the invasion of Iraq.

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