During a press conference in Baghdad, Ahmad said: "Nineteen soliders were killed, three Apache helicopters and three drones were shot down around Basra."

He did not specify whether the dead were American or British, but he also claimed that British troops were firing on Iraqi civilians.

"As soon as an Iraqi fighter confronts the British forces, they bombard the civil population," he said.

British and Iraqi forces exchanged fire at several points around Iraq's main southern city on Tuesday, but there were no immediate signs of an all-out assault for the strategic metropolis.

British soldiers and tanks had since Monday moved forward only 100 metres (yards) from their positions at the southern entry to the city, an AFP correspondent saw.

The exodus of civilians continued, with many passing through British checkpoints in cars, donkey-drawn carts or on foot to relative safety.

Outlying areas of Basra were being attacked by British forces encircling the city but they were awaiting reinforcements before any drive into the town centre, where paramilitary forces fiercely loyal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein held control.

SPACE.WIRE