Post by Taxigirl on Nov 4, 2004 14:06:13 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3981047.stm
British troops in Iraq have moved further into the country in an attempt to stop rebels reaching Falluja.
The Black Watch battle group has been sent to patrol new territory along the eastern bank of the River Euphrates not previously in their area of operations.
They are helping to clear the way for a major US assault on the rebel stronghold city of Falluja.
Meanwhile, British chief of defence staff Michael Walker has arrived at Black Watch camp to boost morale.
The British troops based at Camp Dogwood - the former US base near Falluja - have moved from the west bank of the River Euphrates onto the east side as well.
They have been spreading north from Camp Dogwood, 20 miles from Baghdad.
Operation spreading
BBC correspondent Ben Brown said the deployment of the British battle group had always been controversial with critics saying it was dragging Britain deeper into the turmoil of post-war Iraq.
Now, just a few days after the start of the mission, the British operation already appears to be spreading, he said.
On Thursday, troops were building a pontoon bridge across the river.
The army says there are two reasons for this expansion.
Firstly, to cut off so-called rat runs used by Sunni insurgents and, secondly, to stop rebels using the eastern river bank to launch rocket attacks on British troops at Camp Dogwood.
The final detachments of the 850-strong Black Watch battle group were still arriving in Camp Dogwood on Thursday morning.
The move comes after Prime Minister Tony Blair called on militants in the area to lay down their arms.
Terrorist attack
Mr Blair said: "What we are saying to people in Falluja is this - and this is from the Iraqi government, never mind the multi-national force, 'Lay down your weapons, submit to the authority of that UN-appointed government and participate in the election, and see from the election how much support you have'.
"But what we cannot allow - the Iraqi government can't and we can't - is a situation where outside terrorists and others use Falluja as a base to mount operations killing innocent civilians and our soldiers, who are doing a job blessed by the UN Security Council resolution."
The prime minister denied claims published in the Lancet, that as many as 100,000 Iraqis may have died as a result of the war and occupation.
He said: "The Iraqi ministry of health have put out figures for the six months up to October of just over 3,000 deaths, but that includes people who are either terrorists or insurgents themselves killed or alternatively people who are the victims of terrorist attack.
"We do everything that we possibly can to limit civilian casualties. But it is the case that when our troops come under fire, and when Iraqi forces come under fire, they have to return that fire."
Armoured infantry
Since British Black Watch troops arrived in the area they have come under attack.
One mortar exploded at the Camp Dogwood complex early on Tuesday evening. Five other "impacts" which did not explode were also reported.
The battle group is led by three companies of armoured infantry from the 1st Battalion The Black Watch, with some 500 men and 50 Warrior armoured fighting vehicles.
They are accompanied by a reconnaissance unit from the mainly Welsh Queen's Dragoon Guards, with around 100 men and 12 Scimitar armoured vehicles, and a 50-strong Royal Marine light infantry unit from 40 Commando.
Support troops include engineers, logisticians, signallers and medics.
Meanwhile US military officials said their planes bombed insurgent positions in Falluja on Thursday morning.
British troops in Iraq have moved further into the country in an attempt to stop rebels reaching Falluja.
The Black Watch battle group has been sent to patrol new territory along the eastern bank of the River Euphrates not previously in their area of operations.
They are helping to clear the way for a major US assault on the rebel stronghold city of Falluja.
Meanwhile, British chief of defence staff Michael Walker has arrived at Black Watch camp to boost morale.
The British troops based at Camp Dogwood - the former US base near Falluja - have moved from the west bank of the River Euphrates onto the east side as well.
They have been spreading north from Camp Dogwood, 20 miles from Baghdad.
Operation spreading
BBC correspondent Ben Brown said the deployment of the British battle group had always been controversial with critics saying it was dragging Britain deeper into the turmoil of post-war Iraq.
Now, just a few days after the start of the mission, the British operation already appears to be spreading, he said.
On Thursday, troops were building a pontoon bridge across the river.
The army says there are two reasons for this expansion.
Firstly, to cut off so-called rat runs used by Sunni insurgents and, secondly, to stop rebels using the eastern river bank to launch rocket attacks on British troops at Camp Dogwood.
The final detachments of the 850-strong Black Watch battle group were still arriving in Camp Dogwood on Thursday morning.
The move comes after Prime Minister Tony Blair called on militants in the area to lay down their arms.
Terrorist attack
Mr Blair said: "What we are saying to people in Falluja is this - and this is from the Iraqi government, never mind the multi-national force, 'Lay down your weapons, submit to the authority of that UN-appointed government and participate in the election, and see from the election how much support you have'.
"But what we cannot allow - the Iraqi government can't and we can't - is a situation where outside terrorists and others use Falluja as a base to mount operations killing innocent civilians and our soldiers, who are doing a job blessed by the UN Security Council resolution."
The prime minister denied claims published in the Lancet, that as many as 100,000 Iraqis may have died as a result of the war and occupation.
He said: "The Iraqi ministry of health have put out figures for the six months up to October of just over 3,000 deaths, but that includes people who are either terrorists or insurgents themselves killed or alternatively people who are the victims of terrorist attack.
"We do everything that we possibly can to limit civilian casualties. But it is the case that when our troops come under fire, and when Iraqi forces come under fire, they have to return that fire."
Armoured infantry
Since British Black Watch troops arrived in the area they have come under attack.
One mortar exploded at the Camp Dogwood complex early on Tuesday evening. Five other "impacts" which did not explode were also reported.
The battle group is led by three companies of armoured infantry from the 1st Battalion The Black Watch, with some 500 men and 50 Warrior armoured fighting vehicles.
They are accompanied by a reconnaissance unit from the mainly Welsh Queen's Dragoon Guards, with around 100 men and 12 Scimitar armoured vehicles, and a 50-strong Royal Marine light infantry unit from 40 Commando.
Support troops include engineers, logisticians, signallers and medics.
Meanwhile US military officials said their planes bombed insurgent positions in Falluja on Thursday morning.