British destroy Iraqi column

British destroy Iraqi column

No British Challenger 2 tanks were said to have been lost

UK troops have destroyed 14 Iraqi tanks in what was said to be the biggest British tank battle since World War II, according to commanders.

The Iraqi tanks had left the southern city of Basra and were heading towards the al-Faw peninsula on Thursday morning when UK forces engaged them.

Thought to be Russian-built T-55s, they were attacked by a similar number of better-equipped Challenger 2 tanks from the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

Two Iraqi infantry positions were also overrun, officers said.

In other developments:

The two British soldiers reported missing, believed killed, after an attack in southern Iraq were named by the Ministry of Defence as Sapper Luke Allsopp, 24, from north London and Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth, 36, from Essex.

Both were of the 33 (EOD) Engineer Regiment, a specialist bomb disposal unit of the Royal Engineers based at Carver Barracks, Wimbish, Essex

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and George W Bush, speaking after a meeting in the US, indicated coalition troops may be in Iraq for the long-haul, saying toppling Saddam Hussein would take "as long as it takes"

Mr Blair accused Iraq of "executing" the two British soldiers whose bodies were shown on al-Jazeera television

The first ship bringing humanitarian aid to Iraq has been delayed for a further 24 hours because of the discovery of two mines in the waterway around the southern port of Umm Qasr

Evening peace protests have been held in towns and cities across the UK

Chancellor Gordon Brown promised an extra £1.25bn to pay for the war on Iraq, bringing the Ministry of Defence's special reserves for the war to £3bn

The bodies of the first British servicemen of 22 to die in the war so far are being flown home to RAF Brize Norton on Saturday, it was confirmed

The tank battle was described as a "very quick, short, sharp engagement" by British military spokesman Group Captain Al Lockwood.

Wednesday night had also seen an attempt by a handful of Iraqi vehicles to break out of Basra past encircling British forces, officers said.

Despite initial reports of up to 120 vehicles leaving Basra, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said only three tanks were involved and these had all been destroyed.

You can tell this isn't a fighting formation that really knows its business

Air Marshal Brian Burridge

Fact file on Challenger 2

The commander of UK forces in the Gulf, Air Marshal Brian Burridge, said the Iraqis involved in recent engagements appeared to have been forced by Baath party fighters to engage the British.

There has been confusion as to why Iraqi forces would venture out from the relative safety of Basra to likely destruction in the open.

Air Marshal Burridge said there was evidence of "exemplar executions" being carried out.

"They go to their houses and hold a gun to the heads of their families," he told a news conference in Qatar.

Aid struggles

"These militias - probably the Baath party militias - go through a neighbourhood, round up the existing soldiery, put them in their tanks and say 'go that way'.

"You can tell this isn't a fighting formation that really knows its business. It is disorganised, but there is someone trying to organise it."

THE BATTLE FOR BASRA

Click here for the military position

Enlarge image

See also: Why Basra matters

A leader of the local Red Crescent called an attempt to deliver aid to the Iraq-Kuwait border town of Safwan on Wednesday a "disaster", after it was mobbed by fit young men before getting to the people it was aimed at.

But British reporters with UK troops reported successful delivery of some aid on Thursday to the southern town of al-Zubayr, which had been the scene of fierce fighting.

Troops trying to deliver aid there the previous day had fled after a sniper opened fire.

Most of those receiving aid on Thursday professed support for the US and UK - although suspicion on both sides continued, with UK troops saying some of those queuing up for hand-outs had probably been shooting at them just days before.

One man made it clear that coalition troops and their aid were welcome only on Iraqi terms.

"You are here on the condition that you liberate Iraq," said resident Ali Salman Hussein, 35.

"We don't want you to occupy us, we want you to liberate us and leave. If you don't leave then we will hate you."