British forces have made a "significant" haul of arms, ammunition and bomb-making equipment in Basra, military officials said Thursday. Several properties belonging to suspected insurgents were raided and mortar rounds, fuses and rocket-propelled grenades were seized. Three Iraqi men were being questioned following the swoops which were carried out under cover of darkness by the troops. Iraqi police were also involved in the raids. Some of those thought to be behind the on-going bombing campaign against British troops were targeted, the officials added.Brigadier James Everard, commander of 20 Armoured Brigade, told the British media "We are working closely with the Iraqi police to identify and target potential security threats in and around Basra. That's in order to hamper efforts by a few individuals to disrupt significant progress being made in the area. This success shows our collaborative efforts are both effective and worthwhile."
The weapons find follows an operation last week when two Iraqi men were followed and captured by Danish troops after they had launched a rocket attack on the main British base at Basra International Airport. It also follows the deaths of two British soldiers in a roadside bomb attack near Basra two weeks ago. The bodies of Privates Adam Morris, 19, and Joseva Lewaicei, 25, arrived back at the Royal Air Force base of Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, southern England, today.