Marines 'capture top Iraqi officers'

Royal Marine commandos claim to have captured five senior Iraqi Army officers and killed a Republican Guard colonel on the outskirts of Basra.

The engagement happened on Saturday night during "aggressive patrolling" by the marines from 3 Commando Brigade.

In a separate incident, troops from 16th Air Assault Brigade patrolling the Rumaila oilfields claim they have captured the deputy commander of the local Baath Party who was armed at the time.

The marines also seized a considerable amount of Iraqi equipment in Basra including Soviet-built MTLB armoured personnel carriers, anti-aircraft artillery and bridging equipment.

Elsewhere, units from the 7th Armoured Brigade Desert Rats patrolling the outskirts of the city reported sporadic firing by the Iraqi forces.

The patrols are part of a concerted effort by the British forces to dislodge the Iraqi irregulars still controlling the city.