British forces were tonight securing parts of Iraq’s second city, Basra, after pushing their way into its centre for the first time.

British Royal Marine Commandos today launched a second major offensive in the south west outskirts of Basra.

British troops today told how they caught a local Baath party kingpin with millions of Iraqi dinars and torture equipment stashed in his home.

US Marines today shot dead an unarmed Iraqi at a checkpoint hours after seven women and children were killed by American troops who fired at a van which failed to stop in southern Iraq.