British troops 'aiding rebels in Basra'

Britain's Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said today that British forces were doing everything they could to assist the rebel elements in Basra.

Mr Hoon said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that there had been an attempted uprising on some scale in Basra.

He said: “Certainly there have been disturbances, local people rising up against the regime. We know that there have been attempts by regime militia to attack those same people, their own people, to attack them with mortars, machine-gun fire, rifles and so on.

“We haven’t witnessed it but we know that that is happening from various sources.

“Whether it is still happening remains unclear. Night has occurred in Iraq and we have continued to do what we can to help, but the situation as of this moment is unclear.”

He said: “Allied forces, British forces in particular, have been doing what they can to help those who would rise up against the regime. We have attacked the Baath Party HQ, which I think has been substantially destroyed.

“Certainly, efforts have been made to reduce the numbers fighting against their own people. We are looking carefully at how best we can provide further assistance.”

Mr Hoon said he knew nothing of suggestions that there had been more British casualties in one recent incident near Basra than had been acknowledged publicly.

“I’m not aware of those reports. Certainly, great efforts are made before we make any announcements to ensure that next of kin are informed. That often applies as well to the particular units involved.”

But he expressed regret over the fatal attack on one British tank by another.

“This was another tragic incident. It appears that in the heat of battle, when one tank was coming under attack, it turned and fired on another tank, and sadly another tank was also a British tank,” said Mr Hoon.

Mr Hoon was asked whether the coalition forces’ ambition to be regarded by the Iraqis as liberators would be compromised by a lengthy siege at Basra or Baghdad.

The British Defence Secretary said: “What we are seeing at Basra does highlight the difficulties that we are operating under but also indicates the strength ultimately of our position.

“There is little doubt that the people there, and I’m sure this is the case in Baghdad as well, have no time for Saddam Hussein or his regime.

“These are people who have suffered over many years at the hands of precisely the people who are now offering the resistance.

“It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Saddam’s thugs and henchmen are going to stand and fight because they are precisely the people who have caused this situation.”

Asked about the much-anticipated implosion of the regime, Mr Hoon said: “It has probably started in Basra, I accept that it has not yet started in Baghdad ... It depends on the circumstances.

“You are talking about ordinary citizens rising up against well-armed, well-organised militia organisations who in the past ... have been dealt with with the most appalling brutality, perhaps even by the very same people who are now sitting with machine-guns, rifles, some quite sophisticated equipment, continuing to intimidate the population of Basra.

“It is getting at those people that is crucial to our success.”

Mr Hoon was also challenged on the prospect of a large, well-armed militia defending Baghdad in street to street fighting.

The British Defence Secretary said: “We prepared for that, coalition forces are prepared for that kind of engagement should it be necessary. We always judged that the regime and its supporters would fight for its survival and fight in this kind of way.

“We would have preferred to see this regime crack in a different way. But if it is necessary, then there is no doubt about our determination – indeed preparation – to deal with Saddam Hussein’s regime in this way.”

Asked whether he accepted that this was now the likely course of the war, Mr Hoon said: “No, I don’t.

“Clearly, it is an option and military commanders on the ground are looking at the best way, as we speak, of dealing with Basra and helping the people in Basra who want to resist the regime. The overwhelming majority, I am sure, want to see the back of Saddam and all his people.”

Mr Hoon was asked why Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair felt it necessary to fly to Washington later today for talks with US President George Bush.

“I think it is very important when the two leaders meet face to face in order to be able to go through clearly, not only their tactics as far as the military engagement is concerned, but obviously looking forward to the kind of arrangements that will be necessary to engage the UN, to organise humanitarian relief, but crucially to think through the way in which we can restore Iraq to the community of nations.

“I’m confident that the UN will be involved, there may be a discussion about precisely how that will be organised. There will be discussions about the appropriate role for the UN, I don’t believe that there is any fundamental difference of opinion.

“The issue is how we best engage the UN and other international NGOs as well as other countries not currently directly involved in the conflict.

“The UN can play a significant part, not least in the continuation of the oil for food programme and ensuring effective humanitarian supplies. The key to this as well is finding the best way for the Iraqi people to govern themselves.”

Asked whether he wanted to see a UN administration as soon as possible once the war was over, Mr Hoon said: “I said that there would have to be discussions, and clearly that is part of the way in which the debate will have to be continued.”