Report: Special forces sent to Iraq to protect Prince Harry

Second Lieutenant Harry Wales of the Household Cavalry will deploy to Iraq as a member of the 'A' Squadron of the Blues and Royals. He will be the first British royal to serve in a war zone since Prince Andrew during the Falklands war. Harry is third in line to the English throne, and there has been widespread talk amongst the royals and military about forbidding him from going, but he is reported to have threatened to quit the military if he is not sent. The two main militias in the area he will deploy to are the Badr Brigade of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim and the Mahdi Army of Moqtada al-Sadr. Yesterday Denmark, whose forces in Southern Iraq are under British command, announced it was sending a special forces team to 'solve a special problem'.


Army special forces have been sent to Iraq to provide increased protection for Prince Harry ahead of his tour of duty in the country.

An extra detachment of special forces has arrived in southern Iraq to monitor militia groups and reinforce the prince's protection as fears grow that insurgents will target the third in line to the throne.

The Army is aware that militia groups are claiming to know when his regiment, the Blues and Royals, will arrive in the country. Last week The Observer revealed plans by insurgent groups to kidnap and kill Harry. The insurgents now claim to have informers inside the British base in Basra who will track the Prince's movements.

Read the rest at the Sunday Observer

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