British troops officially ended combat operations in southern Iraq today, handing over control of their base in Basra to US forces. The last British army patrol around Iraq’s second city returned to the base and a defence official confirmed: “The role of British ground forces is finished.” Britain’s combat role – including patrolling the city of Basra – was originally due to end on 31 July but was brought forward as the prime minister, Gordon Brown, said Britain and Iraq had begun a “long-term partnership of equals”.
Speaking after talks in Downing Street with his Iraqi counterpart, Nouri al-Maliki, Brown said: “Today marks the closing chapter of the combat mission in Iraq. The flag of 20 Armoured Brigade will be lowered as British combat patrols in Basra come to an end and our armed forces prepare to draw down.” The announcement comes as the defence secretary, John Hutton, attended a service in Basra to honour the 179 British personnel killed during the six-year conflict in Iraq. The names of the British, Italian, Dutch, Danish, American and Romanian troops and the civilian contractors killed since 2003, were read out at the memorial wall in front of the 20th Armoured Brigade headquarters.
The bulk of the 4,000 or so UK troops will have returned home by 31 May, leaving a residual number to clear up and pack whatever equipment the army wants to bring home or send to Afghanistan. About 300 Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel will continue to train Iraqi naval forces at the port of Umm Qasr. The handover of the Basra airport base to the US is more than symbolic, analysts say. It is a reminder that the UK’s ability to conduct military operations on its own is limited. It was the US and the Iraqis who cleared the streets of Basra from radical Shia militia in the operation called Charge of the Knights last year.