Two more soldiers killed in Iraq

Two British soldiers were killed in Iraq today, the Ministry of Defence said.

The soldiers, from the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, were travelling in a convoy early this morning to the north Rumaylah oil fields, west of the southern Iraqi city of Basra, a spokesman said. Next of kin have been informed.

Their deaths bring the total number of British service personnel who have died in the country since the 2003 invasion to 168.

News of the latest casualties came as the MoD released the name of a British serviceman killed in the city on Tuesday night.

Leading Aircraftman Martin Beard of No 1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment died in a small arms fire.

The soldiers from the 1st Battalion Irish Guards were killed when an improvised explosive device detonated next to their patrol just after midnight local time.

Another two soldiers were seriously injured in the attacks.

British forces in Basra have suffered a devastating week in Basra with four deaths in the last three days.

Leading Aircraftman Beard, 20, was shot during a routine foot patrol in the Al Waki district north of the British Base at Basra Airport on Tuesday.

On Monday Private Craig Barber, 20, of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, died after coming under attack from small arms fire in the Al Fursi district of the city.

British troops are in the process of withdrawing from the centre of Basra city and are planning to consolidate their forces at their large airport base.

The number of troops has already been reduced from 44,000 to 5,500. They are now almost exclusively based at Basra airport amid preparations for control to be handed to Iraqi authorities.

Despite the casualties, the UK military have rejected suggestions from America that the UK had effectively lost control of the southern city.