THE phased withdrawal of British troops from Iraq marks a turning point in the conflict.

Nato officials today played down talk of a rift within the alliance over the reluctance of some European nations to commit additional troops to Afghanistan where British and US soldiers now make up over half of the 35,000 strong international force.

US President George Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will discuss a speedier hand-over of security control to Iraqi forces as a prelude to the start of a US withdrawal when they meet in Amman, Jordan, later this week, top Iraqi government officials said today.

The head of the British army today called for British troops to be withdrawn from Iraq “sometime soon”.

BRITAIN’S Defence Secretary Des Browne warned yesterday that the credibility of the NATO alliance in Afghanistan was on the line as he admitted that the operation had proved harder than expected.

A soldier who was killed in a clash with insurgents while serving with British forces in Afghanistan was named today as Ranger Anare Draiva of 1 Royal Irish Regiment.

A top government official said today that Iraq has an agreement to take over security responsibilities from foreign forces in the south of the country this month.