British soldier dies after gun battle in Iraq

London, May 22: A British soldier was killed today after insurgents attacked a military convoy in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the Ministry of Defence said.

The soldier was hit during a gun battle that followed the insurgent ambush on an oil supply convoy and later died of his wounds, the ministry said in a statement.

His death brings to 149 the number of British troops to have been killed in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003.

April was the deadliest month for British soldiers since the first month of the war, with 11 troops killed.

Reuters>