British soldier dies in Basra

A British soldier was killed in Basra today and two were wounded when the ambulance in which they were travelling was blown up by a roadside bomb.

British military spokesman Captain Hisham Halawi said the vehicle was clearly marked as an ambulance.

“This is a blow,” he said.

No British soldier had been killed in combat since June 24. Eight Britons have been killed in combat since May 1 when President George Bush declared major fighting ended.

In the same period 60 American forces have died in guerrilla attacks against the occupation army.

Violence against the British force controlling Basra erupted over the weekend, when residents angered over continuing electricity cuts and petrol shortages took to the streets, stoning British troops.

Two people died in the violence: one protesters and a civilian of Nepalese origin who was delivering mail for the coalition.