British forces battle some 1,000 Iraqi militia within Basra

KUWAIT CITY (AFP) Apr 03, 2003
British forces battling to take control of the main southern city of Basra are still facing resistance from around 1,000 Iraqi militia, along with regular troops who have moved back into the city, a British military spokesman said Thursday.

"There are somewhere around a thousand, but it may be more," Colonel Chris Vernon told reporters when asked the size of the irregular forces within the city.

"It's quite clear that elements of (the Iraqi army's) 51 brigade that we gave an opportunity to capitulate have pulled back inside," he added.

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