UK to Pay for Damage to Basra Police Station

The British government is to compensate the authorities in Basra for the damage caused during a controversial operation to rescue two SAS soldiers who were being held in a police station in the Iraqi city by local miltias.

In a joint statement yesterday , the British consulate general and the provincial council of Basra expressed "regret" at the events of September 19, in which several Iraqis are reported to have been killed and which left public buildings damaged.

The governor of Basra, Muhammad al-Waili, had warned he would end cooperation with UK forces unless he received an apology.