UK, Danish troops launch major operation in Iraq

Basra (Iraq), Dec 8: British and Danish troops backed by tanks seized five suspects accused of attacks on coalition forces in Iraq today in the largest operation of its kind since the US invasion, the British military said.

Some 1,000 troops launched pre-dawn raids on five homes in the densely populated northern al-Hartha district of Basra, where rival Shi'ite militias are battling for control of the city's oil wealth and coalition troops are sometimes attacked.

British military spokesman Major Charlie Burbridge said a mainly Danish force had struck from the north while an amphibious assault team crossed the Shatt al-Arab waterway and a force of Challenger main battle tanks from the south.

''As the armoured battle group crossed over the bridge in al -Hartha it came under heavy rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire. We returned fire with the tanks' chain guns and other small arms,'' he told Reuters.

He said coalition forces had suffered no casualties.

''This was the largest operation of its kind that we have conducted since the invasion. By that I mean the number of soldiers involved and the complexity of the operation.'' He described the five targets of the raid, which began at three a.m. (0530 IST), as ''rogue elements of militia''.

''One is a significant individual while the others are second tier involved in planning and direction of criminal activities.

These individuals were involved in kidnapping, murder and attacks on coalition forces.'' He said a search of the five homes had unearthed heavy machineguns and artillery shells wired up to be used in the next 48 hours as roadside bombs.

Britain has around 7,200 troops in southern Iraq, mostly stationed in and around Basra, the country's second largest city and it's oil wealth the source of most of the government's revenues.

Britain hopes to pull out thousands of troops next year and hand over control of Basra to Iraqi authorities in April, although British military officials say that is dependent on security conditions on the ground.

Much depends on the results of Operation Sinbad, launched earlier this year to rehabilitate the city's police force, which is accused of colluding with militias in killings and kidnappings. It also includes a programme of public works.

''The security situation is not good enough to transition to Iraqi control yet. It is not perfect but it is manageable,'' Burbridge said.

REUTERS

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