British Servicemen Killed in Iraq: A Devastating Reminder of Perils Faced by Troops

In a tragic incident that highlights the risks faced by British servicemen in Iraq, four troops were killed and three others seriously injured in an attack on their patrol boat near Basra on Remembrance Sunday. The incident has brought the total number of British military fatalities in Iraq to 125, and Defence Secretary Des Browne has paid tribute to the fallen soldiers. The attack, carried out by an improvised bomb, underlines the agile tactics employed by insurgents in Iraq, who have exploited a weak spot in the security situation to inflict significant casualties on British forces.

Key Takeaways:

• Four British servicemen were killed in an attack on their patrol boat near Basra, Iraq, bringing the total number of British military fatalities in the country to 125.
• Three other servicemen were seriously injured in the attack, with some of their injuries potentially life-threatening.
• The incident highlights the risks faced by British troops in Iraq, particularly when patrolling the Shatt al-Arab waterway, a narrow and shallow area that is vulnerable to attacks.
• The area has been considered one of the safest in Iraq, but defence analyst Paul Beaver notes that the enemy's tactics can change quickly, catching British forces off guard.
• The incident has sparked fears over the use of "suicide boats" by insurgents, which have been used to attack British forces in the past.
• British forces have been patrolling the Shatt al-Arab waterway to prevent the smuggling of explosives and weapons across the border with Iran.
• The Iraqi Coastal Defence Force, created in 2004 to assume responsibility for security in the waterway, has enjoyed limited success, and multinational troops still do much of the work.

Statistics:

• 4 British servicemen killed in the attack
• 3 other servicemen seriously injured, with some of their injuries potentially life-threatening
• 125 total number of British military fatalities in Iraq
• 16 people killed and 20 wounded in a bomb blast in a Shia district of eastern Baghdad
• 2 US soldiers killed in a roadside bombing north of Baghdad
• Total number of people killed in attacks in Iraq on Remembrance Sunday: 22

Sources:

• [Des Browne, Defence Secretary: "This terrible incident reinforces in our minds the sacrifice made by the brave men and women of our armed forces."]
• [Captain Tane Dunlop, Army spokesman in Basra: "The boat was hit by an improvised bomb as it patrolled the waterway at the point where the Tigris joins the Euphrates."]
• [Paul Beaver, defence analyst: "This underlines how agile the enemy is. Their tactics can change overnight. They've found a weak spot and they've gone with it."]