British soldier killed in Iraq AP The Independent 28 August 2003
A British soldier was killed and a second injured when their convoy was caught between two crowds and fired on with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades in southern Iraq, the British military reported Thursday.
Lieutenant Commander Richard Walters, a military spokesman, said the shooting occurred late last night as the soldiers were returning from a raid in Ali al-Gharbi.
He said the soldiers met a crowd of about 30 people who formed a roadblock. Soldiers moved around the crowd, only to be stopped by a second crowd blocking the road near Fort Jennings.
Commander Walters said the the soldiers got down from their vehicles, fired two warning shots trying to disperse the groups when the Iraqi's opened fire with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades, killing one soldier and wounding the second in the hand.
The British said they arrested 10 people, and withdrew to their base at al-Amarah, 75 miles north of Basra with protection from helicopters and rapid reaction troops whioch were called to the scene.
The Wednesday death brings the British toll in the war to 49, with 11 soldiers killed since 1 May when President George Bush declared an end to major fighting.