Fourth blast rocks camp in Basra

A fourth possible suicide attack has rocked through a camp outside Basra shortly after the three blasts, the British Ministry of Defence has said.

There were more Iraqi casualties in the explosion at Camp Chindit at 8.25am local time but no coalition dead.

Two school buses were destroyed in one of the other three blasts, which happened in the Saudia district of the city.

At least one of them appeared to have been full of passengers, according to an eyewitness.

Two other vehicles were also wrecked in the same explosion and the front of the police station was badly damaged.

Police Major Ouda al-Jabiri, at Saudia, said the cause of the blasts was not immediately known.

There was a hole two yards deep and three yards wide in front of the Saudi station.

British military spokesman, Squadron Leader Jonathan Arnold, said the blasts were believed to have been caused by car bombs and there were a number of Iraqi dead, including police.

A hospital sources in Basra said there were 40 people dead and 200 injured.