British serviceman killed in Iraq

British forces are due to hand over control of security to the Iraqis

A British soldier has died following a road accident in southern Iraq, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The member of 1st Battalion The Scots Guards was involved in the accident in Basra province on Wednesday.

He had been flown to the UK for treatment after the accident involving a Warrior Armoured Vehicle.

The soldier's next of kin have been informed of the death, which takes the number of UK troops killed in operations in Iraq since 2003 to 174.

Security handover

He was initially taken to the field hospital at the UK base at Basra Air Station.

There will be a 24-hour period of grace for the soldier's family before more details are released by the MoD.

The death comes just three days before British forces are due to hand over control of security in Basra province to the Iraqi authorities.

The 4,500 UK troops in Iraq will focus on the training of Iraqi security forces. Numbers will fall to 2,500 from next spring.

Last month, two military personnel died when their Puma helicopter crashed near Baghdad. An inquiry will investigate the incident.