UK troops face jihad

2004-08-05 15:13

Basra - Militiamen loyal to Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr on Thursday declared holy war against British forces based in Iraq's main southern city of Basra after four of their comrades were arrested.

A Mehdi army militiaman was later killed during a 15-minute gunfight with British troops on Al-Gama bridge in northern Basra, said Sheikh Saad al-Basri, Sadr's representative in the overwhelmingly Shiite city.

The area is a bastion of Sadr support in the city.

"We will wage jihad (holy war) and war against the foreign troops, not against police and Iraqi forces," Basri said earlier.

"However, if they (the Iraqi personnel) fight on the side of the occupiers, we will strike them harshly."

Basri accused British forces of arresting four Sadr supporters in order to "create in Basra, the state of crisis that exists in Najaf".

A British military spokesperson in Basra had no information on the clashes, but confirmed four militia members had been arrested Wednesday as part of a "routine security check and are being held to assist with inquiries".

- AFP