ONE British soldier was killed and four others injured yesterday in a roadside bomb blast in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Local police said a vehicle had been destroyed by the blast, which happened at 12.30pm local time. The soldiers were said to have been on routine patrol at the time of the attack. The Ministry of Defence refused to comment on the extent of the injuries and said no further details would be revealed until the dead soldier's family had been informed. Major Steve Melbourne, British forces spokesman in Iraq, said the casualties were being treated in a field hospital. Asked about whether insurgents could have been behind the attack, he said: "We don't really have the problem with insurgents. It is more the terrorist element. These are very small groups that operate in the area. They cause serious risk to both ourselves and the local population of Basra." He said the troops who were attacked had been on routine patrol in the area.
"The area has been secured. The investigation is ongoing and further details on that will be released as they become available," he added. Maj Melbourne said there were no reports of any gunfire at the time of the attack. The latest death takes the number of British service personnel who have died in Iraq since the start of hostilities in March 2003 to 98.