Report: UK begins final Basra pullout to airport base

Above: A British Merlin Helicopter arriving at Basra Palace, the last British base within the city. Britain is pulling its forces back to a single base at Basra airport, which has been British HQ since the beginning of the occupation. Basra is Iraq's second largest city, and its only seaport. The surrounding area holds the great majority of proven oil reserves.

UK troops begin Basra withdrawal

British troops in Iraq have begun to withdraw from their base at Basra Palace in the southern city, the Iraqi Defence Ministry has announced.

The 550 personnel are leaving to join the remaining 5,000 troops at the last British base near Basra Airport...

He would not confirm that this would mean an overall reduction in the number of troops on the ground in Iraq, saying this would "depend on the assessment of commanders on the ground over the coming weeks and months".

Read the rest at BBC News

British Troops Leave Basra Base in Iraq

The Iraqi military sent hundreds of reinforcements to the city to prevent Shiite militias and criminal gangs from expanding their influence now that the British have gone.

The decision to leave the palace compound targeted with daily mortar and rocker attack in recent months will hand military commanders an option of pulling around 550 troops out of Iraq in the autumn, lawmakers said.

"We're withdrawing personnel," said a British defense ministry spokesman, on customary condition of anonymity. "It's been our long planned intention to leave the palace."

Read the rest at ABC News

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