Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Iraq.
Iraq
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) informed journalists of two incidents earlier today near Al Amarah in Iraq, which had resulted in British casualties. He said we very much regreted to confirm that in one incident, six British personnel had been killed. Arrangements were in hand to inform their next of kin. In the second incident, troops from 1 Para patrolling south of Al Amarah had come under fire. The patrol had taken one casualty and two vehicles had been destroyed. In responding to the incident, an RAF Chinook helicopter, carrying a Quick Reaction Force, had come under fire as it landed. Seven personnel on board the helicopter had been wounded, three of them seriously. All had been extracted by helicopter and were receiving treatment. The MoD was investigating the incidents, including whether or not they were related. The Government would provide more information when we could, but we asked the media to respect the fact that our priority was to ensure that next of kin were informed as quickly as possible. The Defence Secretary would update the House of Commons as soon as possible. The PMOS added that the Prime Minister had been due to meet the Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for International Development later today in any event to discuss post-Saddam Iraq issues. That meeting would still go ahead and would take in the latest incidents. Asked whether they would discuss issues relating to security, the PMOS pointed out that security had always formed a central part of discussions about Iraq post-Saddam. Post-conflict reconstruction issues were as much about security as they were about water, education, oil and the like.
Questioned as to whether Al Amarah was known to be a dangerous area, the PMOS said that as he understood it, it was an area which was some distance north of Basra. There had always been a residual threat from hostile Iraqis since the end of offensive operations in Iraq. Security had been improving since the Iraqi police force had begun to be re-established and patrols had been carried out alongside UK forces. However, there had been sporadic attacks in the past which, as today showed, could not be entirely predicted or prevented.
Asked if the first incident had been the result of hostile Iraqi action, the PMOS said that investigations were continuing. Asked if he was implying there was a possibility it could have been a friendly-fire incident, the PMOS repeated that investigations were continuing into what had happened. However, he wouldn’t encourage journalists down that route.
In answer to further questions, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had been informed of the two incidents during this morning and then over lunchtime. He had heard the news with great sadness. It went without saying that he believed those who had died had died with honour, doing a very worthwhile job and serving their country with great distinction.
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