"We want to see British forces to come home as soon as possible.

"I made clear it was a flexible force, they would be there for war fighting and for the initial period of rebuilding and reconstruction," he told BBC television.

When asked how many British troops would be in Iraq in six to nine months time, Hoon said it would depend on the security situation.

"But I do hope that it will be a very small number. Our ambition is to see Iraq ruled by the Iraqi people.

"What we are working towards, what the Americans are working towards is restoring Iraq to its own people," he said.

Hoon was speaking as British forces ratcheted up the pressure on Iraqi forces in Basra, Iraq's second city in the south of the country, with reports of tanks rolling into the centre of the city.

"British forces are concentrating on the humanitarian efforts in the south but also continuing to build up the pressure on the regime inside Basra," Hoon said.

"There has been an important operation overnight, we're continuing to put a great deal of pressure on the militia within Basra who are continuing to intimidate the local population, as well as offering resistance to our forces."

Hoon also warned that US-led forces might encounter similar difficulties in Baghdad as they had in Basra.

British troops have been camped on the outskirts of Iraq's second city for almost two weeks, wary of urban warfare.

"We have to see how things develop in Baghdad," said Hoon.

"Baghdad may prove to offer the same kind of problems that Basra has, that is some resistance from the militia, but also a need to avoid significant civilian casualties."

US troops rode tanks deep into the capital on Saturday, reportedly killing 1,000 Iraqi troops and claiming they could come and go as they pleased.

SPACE.WIRE