Inquiry into claims British troops executed Iraqi prisoners

A fresh investigation is to be launched into allegations made in 2004 that British troops killed twenty Iraqi prisoners and tortured nine other detainees after a battle with insurgents. The Times' Defence Editor, Michael Evans, reports.

The High Court has been hearing evidence in a judicial review case, brought by families of the alleged victims, and yesterday lawyers acting for the Defence Secretary conceded that there was a case for the new inquiry.

The Royal Military Police investigated the alleged mistreatment and killing of Iraqi detainees which, it was claimed, occurred in the aftermath of the so-called Battle of Danny Boy near Majar al-Kabir in southern Iraq. The military police concluded that there was no basis for the allegations.

Lawyers acting for the families of those who died and for the nine Iraqi detainees who claim they were tortured alleged that all 29 had been detained during the Battle of Danny Boy and that 20 had died in custody.

Continues at: timesonline.co.uk - Inquiry into claims British troops executed Iraqi prisoners

Inquiry into Iraq conflict

An independent inquiry into the UK's involvement in the run-up to the Iraq conflict, the conflict itself and the subsequent reconstruction has been announced by Gordon Brown on Monday 15 June 2009.

Mr Brown set out the terms of reference and structure of the inquiry to Parliament today. These reflect the advice of the Cabinet Secretary and the inquiry will be conducted by a committee of Privy Counsellors, following the model of the highly regarded Franks Inquiry into the Falklands War.

Sir John Chilcot has been appointed to chair the inquiry. The committee members will be non-partisan public figures acknowledged to be experts and leaders in their fields.

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Challenger tanks on their way home from Iraq

After six years of service in Iraq, seven 72-tonne Challenger Two main battle tanks started their three-week sea voyage back to the UK this week.

The Challenger tanks, 51 armoured vehicles and 162 containers full of other British military equipment that has been used in Iraq left Kuwait's Shuaiba Port onboard the container cargo ship MV Hurst Point on Wednesday 3 June 2009.

Since the end of UK combat operations in Iraq, a specialist logistics headquarters, the Joint Force Logistic Component or JFLogC, has been in Kuwait and Iraq co-ordinating the massive effort to inspect, pack and return six-years-worth of military hardware to the UK.

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RAF Regiment leaves Iraq

After six years of protecting the Contingency Operating Base (COB) at Basra International Airport and after completing their final patrol, the RAF Regiment came home from Iraq on Wednesday 27 May 2009.

Personnel of 15 Squadron RAF Regiment, the last RAF Regiment unit to serve in southern Iraq, were greeted by emotional friends and family, as well as Defence Minister Quentin Davies, as they arrived at their home station of RAF Honington in Suffolk last night.

From the initial operation to occupy Iraq in 2003, the RAF has taken responsibility for protecting the COB by deploying Force Protection Wings on six-month tours who also fostered relations with the Iraqi people in their patrol area.

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Sappers reflect on building work in Iraq

Visit any location occupied by British troops during the six years of Operation Telic and chances are you will spot the handiwork of a Royal Engineer. Report by Stephen Tyler.

From building Hesco Bastion barriers and manning assault boats to constructing entire patrol outposts in the middle of Basra City, the Sappers have more than played their part in the mission's positive outcome.

And with the sun setting on the British Army's involvement in Iraq, 35 Engineer Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Paul Buttery insisted that his troops' hard work had yielded positive results:

"The mission has been a huge success," he said. "The elections went well, the airport has been handed over and the Iraqi Army's 14th Division have achieved the level of training we wanted them to.

"The guys and girls have been busy and should be genuinely proud of what they have accomplished because they have had a very positive impact."

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VIDEO: RAF Regiment conducts last British patrol in Basra

24 May 2009: Soldiers of the RAF Regiment's 15 Squadron prepare for and conduct the final British patrol in Basra.

After six years of protecting the Contingency Operating Base (COB) at Basra International Airport and after completing their final patrol, the RAF Regiment returned to the UK from Iraq yesterday, Wednesday 27 May 2009.

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Last British infantry troops leave Basra

The last British infantry soldiers to serve in Basra, 79 soldiers from C Company, 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, have returned home to their barracks in Germany.

The soldiers were greeted at their barracks in Paderborn on Saturday 16 May 2009 by dozens of cheering family members and friends.

The troops, nicknamed 'The Armoured Tigers', are part of the British Army's 20th Armoured Brigade, the final combat brigade to serve in Basra.

On Monday 11 May 2009, a few days before coming home, C Company helped complete the UK's last combat mission in southern Iraq by providing security for the final convoy of 20th Armoured Brigade's heavy military equipment to cross the border from Iraq into Kuwait.

The convoy, escorted by the men of D Squadron, Queen's Royal Hussars (QRH), was met at the border by Brigadier Bilal Saleh Shkur, the Commander of the Iraqi Army's 51st Brigade, who paid tribute to British forces, saying:

"Thank you for all that you have given Iraq. Congratulations to all your comrades. Hopefully this will be your last mission."

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RAF lowers its flag in Basra

The Royal Air Force has continued its withdrawal from Iraq with a flag-lowering ceremony marking the end of operations in Basra for 903 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) RAF. Report by Steve Willmot.

The ceremony, which took place last week at the Contingency Operating Base in Basra, saw the lowering of the Royal Air Force Ensign which has flown at the air station for the six years since UK forces took it over during Operation TELIC in 2003.

903 EAW's primary function has been to command and control squadrons located on the airfield. Wing Commander Ian Richardson, Officer Commanding 903, took the salute in a poignant and simple ceremony. He made a short speech praising the involvement of the RAF in the last six years at Basra and read out a message from Air Officer Commanding 83 Expeditionary Air Group, Air Commdore Tony Barmby.

The remaining RAF presence in Iraq will now draw down further while continuing in the short term to provide support to the Iraqi Security Forces and coalition forces as part of the coalition air effort, as well as residual force protection and air transport.

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MOD loses soldiers' rights appeal

Soldiers serving abroad are protected by Human Rights laws, the Court of Appeal ruled in a controversial landmark judgment. Report by Stephen Howard, Press Association.

Three judges, headed by the Master of the Rolls, Sir Anthony Clark, dismissed challenges by the Government to High Court rulings over the death of Private Jason Smith, who died in Iraq while serving with the Territorial Army.

Permission to take the case to the House of Lords was granted on condition that the Secretary of State for Defence pays the legal costs whether they win or lose.

Solicitor Jocelyn Cockburn, who represents the family of Pte Smith, said: "We are absolutely delighted by the outcome which has the logical conclusion that, like all other citizens of the UK, soldiers have the protection set out under the Human Rights Act.

"The proposition of the Ministry of Defence that these rights should be removed from them when they are deployed abroad on active service doesn't reflect well on our Government."

Lawyers for Defence Secretary John Hutton had urged the judges to overturn a ruling by Mr Justice Collins in April last year that sending soldiers out on patrol or into battle with defective equipment could amount to a breach of their human rights.

Continues at: independent.co.uk - MOD loses soldiers' rights appeal

Memorial Wall for UK Service personnel in Iraq dismantled

The Memorial Wall displaying the names of the 179 British Service personnel who died whilst on Operation TELIC has been dismantled brick-by-brick to be brought to the UK.

Sappers from 37 Armoured Engineer Squadron, based in Paderborn in Germany, have dismantled the Basra Memorial Wall which was built in 2006 and has stood tall outside the front of Headquarters Multi-National Division (South East) since.

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