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| Iraq |
| 250 Brit troops to leave Iraq in four weeks |
| 2007-09-09 |
| Britain's military deployment in southern Iraq is to be cut by 500 to 5,000 over the next few months, the Ministry of Defence announced yesterday, just six days after British troops withdrew from their base at Basra Palace. A battle group of 250 men from the King's Royal Hussars have been told they will be returning early to the UK within four weeks. Further reductions will be implemented in the coming months. The MoD said that yesterday's announcement was part of a long-standing plan outlined in July when the Defence Secretary Des Browne said that troop numbers would be cut to 5,000 once Basra Palace was successfully handed over to Iraqi authorities. British troops are now based at Basra airport. An MoD spokesman said: 'This morning, the Kings Royal Hussars Battle Group - approximately 250 men - were told that as part of these reductions, their tour is being cut short and they will return to the UK over the course of the next four weeks. The remaining reductions will be achieved in the coming months as part of ongoing manpower reviews. Achieving these reductions has long been our stated aim.' |
| Posted by:Steve White |