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Britons held: Violence erupts
19/09/2005 21:52 - (SA)
London - Violence erupted on Monday in Basra, Iraq, after the arrest of two British servicemen alleged to have been involved in an exchange of fire with police, reported the BBC.
The ministry of defence in London confirmed that police in Basra detained two military personnel after reports of a skirmish.
The BBC reported from Baghdad that the soldiers, who had been working undercover and wore Arabic dress, had been involved in an "exchange of gunfire" with Iraqi police.
The BBC said protestors set ablaze two British tanks and pelted British soldiers with petrol bombs, stones and bottles.
British troops encircled building
BBC footage showed soldiers inside the tanks, who were forced to jump for safety.
Reports said, shortly after the Britons were arrested, British troops encircled the building, where they were held and demonstrators begun to gather.
The British ambassador in Baghdad was in talks with the Iraqi government to secure the release of the two men.
The BBC said one of the men was dressed as a cleric and the other was wearing Arabic dress when the incident occurred.
The clashes were described as serious.
The BBC said tension had been growing since the arrest in Basra on Sunday of a senior figure in the Shi'ite Mehdi Army militia, suspected by the British military of being behind a series of attacks on troops.
- SAPA
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