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"Britain faced one of its toughest challenges in Basra since the invasion of Iraq five years ago, after an Iraqi military offensive against Shia Muslim militias in the city appeared last night to have backfired, thwarting Government plans to bring 1,600 troops home this spring.
Intense fighting on the ground even raised the possibility that British forces could be asked to reengage on the frontline.
Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, flew down to Saddam Hussain’s former palace in central Basra to take personal control of the offensive, led by 30,000 Iraqi troops backed by para-military police.
But reports from the city suggested that the Iraqi forces had failed to make any significant inroads and a deadline imposed for the militias to disarm was ignored. Instead Iraqi police were defecting to the militia ranks. "
Basra crisis leaves British withdrawal in ruins - Times Online
Intense fighting on the ground even raised the possibility that British forces could be asked to reengage on the frontline.
Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, flew down to Saddam Hussain’s former palace in central Basra to take personal control of the offensive, led by 30,000 Iraqi troops backed by para-military police.
But reports from the city suggested that the Iraqi forces had failed to make any significant inroads and a deadline imposed for the militias to disarm was ignored. Instead Iraqi police were defecting to the militia ranks. "
Basra crisis leaves British withdrawal in ruins - Times Online
