British Soldier Killed in Iraq Firefight

A British soldier in Iraq has died of wounds sustained in a firefight, the Ministry of defense said today. Next of kin have been informed.

The MoD said on its website that the soldier's family had asked for privacy from the media as they came to terms with their loss.

"The MoD will not be providing any further updates, in line with the wishes of the family, who are in our thoughts at this difficult time," the ministry said.

The latest casualty brings the total number of UK troops killed in Iraq to 176. On February 29, a serviceman attached to the Royal Air Force's 903 Expeditionary Air Wing was killed in a rocket attack on Basra airbase.

Britain has 4,100 troops in Iraq, stationed at the airbase five miles from where militias have been fighting each other. Though Gordon Brown's government may soon announce a new cut in troops, the number is unlikely to be reduced by the target of 2,500 that the prime minister set last spring.

UK forces in Iraq have an "over watch" role, training and supporting Iraqi troops. British commanders hope the Iraqi army can crack down on the various militias without recourse to British help apart from intelligence support.

Two American soldiers were killed by small-arms fire in separate attacks in Baghdad, the US military said today.

One soldier died after being shot in a north-west area of the city, and the second was shot and killed in the east of the capital. The soldiers' identities were not released because relatives had not yet been notified.

The casualties brought the overall US death toll to at least 4,003 since the war started in March 2003.