British suffer first combat death

British forces in the Gulf suffered their first known combat death today and two other soldiers were missing in action, military sources said.

The dead soldier, who has not been named, was shot in a riot by Iraqi civilians near Al Zubayr, which is close to Iraq’s second city, Basra.

He was shot yesterday and died of his wounds today.

A British military source at Allied Central Command in Qatar said next of kin had been informed.