|
Britain 'to quit Iraq by 2008'
21/02/2007 07:28 - (SA)
London - Britain will withdraw all of its troops from Iraq by the end of 2008, and will begin the process by bringing about a thousand soldiers back this summer, The Guardian reported on Wednesday.
Citing unnamed officials, the daily said Prime Minister Tony Blair would announce within 24 hours that Britain will gradually reduce its troop presence in the war-torn Middle Eastern country until there are only a few army instructors left by the end of next year.
Under the plan that Blair is to outline, British troops will gradually move into their heavily fortified base on the outskirts of Basra.
Citing unidentified defence officials, the newspaper said that British soldiers will continue to take part in operations in the south of Iraq, but in a supporting role, rather than leading them.
Britain has about 7 100 troops in Iraq, most of them based around Basra. It is the second-largest foreign contingent of soldiers after that of the United States.
The report in The Guardian contrasts with those in The Sun and The Times, which report that Blair will tell parliament on Wednesday that 1 500 British troops are to return home in a matter of weeks, followed by a further 1 500 by the end of this year.
A spokesperson for Blair's Downing Street office would not confirm or deny any of the reports, but told AFP: "The prime minister said he will update parliament first about these matters, and it's right that he does that."
Blair is set to appear before parliament on Wednesday for his weekly half-hour question-and-answer session.
- AFP
|
News
