Ulster troops in attack on Basra

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday March 26, 2003 13:31 by Royal Irish

time for a sneak attack on NI from ROI?

Ulster troops in attack on Basra

By Ben Lowry

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=390916

SOLDIERS from Northern Ireland are reported today to be involved in the key battle to seize Basra.

British forces have been waging fierce battles with more than 1,000 Iraqi militia fighters around the southern city, supporting what some reports said was the beginning of a popular uprising against Saddam Hussein.

The Irish Guards, including more than 100 soldiers from Northern Ireland, are involved in the battle as part of 7 Armoured Brigade, which is positioned to the west of Iraq's second city.

A British military spokesman told the Belfast Telegraph this morning that the brigade is "taking opportune targets where appropriate".

The spokesman said that Saddam Hussein's forces had mortared their own populations in a bid to suppress the revolt, until the Iraqis were "destroyed" by British artillery.

Meanwhile, the First Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment is still believed to be located in safer terrain around the Rumaylah oil fields.

The battalion is involved in what its commander Lieutenant Colonel Tim Collins described as dealing with the "detritus of war".

This includes accepting the surrender of Iraqi troops and making safe unused ammunition.

An Army source with the battalion said today that fighting in the area ceased on Sunday and that the RIR was heavily involved in humanitarian work.

He said that the troops had enjoyed a good reception from the local population, but were keen to move forward to Basra or any other location where they could use their frontline training.

UUP councillor Michael Copeland, a former Army officer who has family connections with the Irish Guards, said: "I would imagine that the fighting in Basra could be difficult.

"The speed of the campaign depends upon the ease with which elements loyal to Saddam Hussein can be separated and isolated from the local population," he added.