British kill two in clash with cleric's militia

British forces clashed with gunmen loyal to rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the south-eastern Iraq for a second day, killing at least two insurgents.

No British soldiers were hurt, a British military spokesman said.

Insurgents launched at least four separate hit-and-run attacks against British troops last night, near Amarah, 180 miles south-east of Baghdad, said the spokesman.

The members of al-Sadr’s militia used small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades in clashes that lasted about two hours, witnesses said.

At least two insurgents were killed, one in Amarah and another in the southern city of Basra, the army spokesman said.

Insurgents also launched attacks against British soldiers in Amarah on Wednesday after they detained militia leader Ahmed Hachi.

Al-Sadr’s forces are skirmishing regularly with US troops in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, but they were routed by the 1st Armoured Division in Karbala and their ranks were significantly reduced in Najaf and Kufa, coalition forces say.